


Homecoming

by Hughville, Pyewacket75



Series: The Homecoming Trilogy [1]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, F/M, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-10 08:33:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6975598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hughville/pseuds/Hughville, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyewacket75/pseuds/Pyewacket75
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cameron asks House to be her date at her grandmother's 90th birthday.  House learns there is more to Cameron than he realized.  The attraction between them blossoms into a relationship.  Her family has other plans for her and they don't involve House.  </p><p>This takes place at the end of the Season 3 finale, Human Error.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We don't own House, MD. David Shore and NBC Universal do. We just like to make House and Cameron kiss and have steamy sex.

Cameron stood outside House’s office. He cured the patient from Cuba and now sat in his office with his feet on his desk reading a medical journal. She looked down at the two envelopes in her hand. One contained her letter of resignation. She wrote it after saying goodbye to Foreman. She wasn’t sure how she felt about working with two new team members. She, Foreman and Chase developed a working relationship that suited her. While she was shocked when House fired Chase a couple weeks ago, Foreman’s resignation didn’t surprise her. He never hid the fact he didn’t like House and Foreman’s respect for him was based only on House’s skills as a diagnostician. She shook her head to clear it and looked at the other envelope. As for that other envelope, she knew what she could do about it, she just wasn’t sure she wanted to do it. She looked at House again and straightened her spine, her mind made up. She tucked one envelope into the pocket of her lab coat and opened the door. House looked up at her over the rim of his glasses.  
“How’s the patient?” he asked as he removed his glasses and put the journal on his desk.  
Cameron walked up to his desk. “Fine.”  
Taking a deep breath, she gripped the envelope.  
“Got naked pictures in there?” he asked with a sly smile.  
“Be my boyfriend,” she blurted out and then flushed a deep shade of red.  
House leaned back in his chair. “I’m not-”  
She cut him off. “I have to go home for my grandmother’s ninetieth birthday. I haven’t been home since I left for college. My family doesn’t know I was married. I know my mother will invite an old boyfriend of mine and I don’t want to have to deal with him. I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend so my family and Greyson will leave me alone.”  
House stifled a laugh. “Okay, we are definitely going to circle back to the whole Greyson thing. Why not ask Chase?”  
Cameron rolled her eyes. “He thinks he’s in love with me. I don’t want to encourage him. I can pay you. Most of my inheritance is tied up in investments but if you’re willing to wait I can get the cash for you. I think it’s about twenty million at this point.”  
House’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Did you just say you have twenty million dollars?”  
“About that much. I’ll know exactly how much once my accountant gets me the figures. I got ten million from my grandmother when I turned twenty-five.”  
“You were born in Chicago. I don’t recall any wealthy Camerons there.”  
“Cameron is my married name and I’m not from Chicago. I was born here in New Jersey. My family’s estate is in Alpine.”  
House looked at her intensely. “Again, we’ll circle back to the fact you lied to me. You pay hookers and escorts. I’m neither.”  
“Then tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you. Just say you’ll do this.”  
House put his hands behind his head. “I want information.”  
Cameron narrowed her eyes. “Fine. Will you do it?”  
“Yes. What’s your maiden name? I need some payment before we go.”  
She sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “I have some rules-”  
“Maiden name and then rules.”  
“Langston.”  
“As in Langston department stores?”  
“Yes.”  
“Damn.”  
“Now for the rules. No manipulating. No tricks. No interrogating my family or friends. And under no circumstances can you flirt with or sleep with my sister.”  
“Is your sister a slut?” he asked eyes glinting.  
“Yes, as a matter of fact she is.”  
“Oh, I like her already.”  
“I’m serious, House. Will you do this?”  
“Sure. Sounds like fun. Any more rules?”  
“I’m sure I’ll think of more once we get there.”  
“Of course you will.”  
Cameron stood up and started to leave. She stopped at the door and turned back. “I’ll come by to pick you up at three on Saturday afternoon. Do you have a tux?”  
“I’m not an animal.”  
“Do you or don’t you?”  
“You’ve seen my tux.”  
Cameron smiled. “Oh, yeah. Bring it and pack nice clothes.”  
“Come early and you can pack for me.”  
Cameron blew out her breath. “Fine.”

On Saturday, House opened his door and stared in shock at Cameron. She wore a black Chanel suit, pearls and expensive shoes. Her long hair was dyed blonde and pulled back from her face with a wide black headband. He stepped back to let her in.  
“I thought this was a party not Witness Protection,” he commented as she walked past him.  
Cameron continued on down the hall into his bedroom. He followed and sat in the chair by the window.  
“What’s with the hair?” he asked as she opened his closet and pulled down two suitcases.  
“I’m a natural blonde. I dyed my hair brown so people would take me seriously. I had it dyed back because I don’t feel like answering any questions.”  
“How are you going to explain having a crippled boyfriend who’s twice your age?”  
She pulled several suits from the back of his closet. “You’re a world famous doctor. That will make you more than acceptable to them so long as you behave.”  
“How long have you known me?”  
She ignored him and carefully folded the suits and placed them in one of the suitcases. Next she pulled out his tuxedo and placed it on top of the suits. She quickly filled the suitcases with everything else he’d need.  
“Toiletries bag?” she asked as she shut the suitcases.  
“Bathroom. Tell me about Greystroke.”  
“His name is Greyson,” she called from the bathroom. “His parents are my parents best friends. I dated him during my late teens but we’ve known each other all our lives. He’s….a boorish jackass.”  
“I thought you liked boorish jackasses. Or have you forgotten that Doctor? Charles...what was his name...the doctor from Africa...”  
She reappeared holding his toiletries bag. “Greyson is a different kind of boorish jackass. He thinks he’s God’s gift to the world; especially women.”  
“Did he cheat on you?”  
Cameron tucked the bag into a zippered pocket in one of the suitcases. “Yes.”  
“With Slutty Langston?”  
“Not with my sister,” she said then frowned. “At least I don’t think he did. And you can’t call her Slutty. Her name is Hilary but everyone calls her Bunny.”  
House burst into loud laughter. Cameron put her hands on her hips and stared at him in exasperation.  
“Do you have a nickname?” he asked when he got his laughter under control.  
“No. They call her that because all she ate as a baby was carrot baby food.”  
“Is she orange?”  
“House! This is exactly what I was talking about!”  
“Oh, unclench,” he grinned. “I’ll behave, Or at least I’ll try. You know what a hardship it can be for me.”  
“Yes, I know. But try to repress your inner childishness.”  
“What are your parents’ names?”  
Cameron looked down at the floor. She mumbled something.  
He put his hand to his ear and leaned closer. “Sorry, what? Didn’t quite catch that.”  
She looked up at him defiantly. “Millicent and Mundell.”  
“Huh. I could’ve sworn you said Bitty.”  
Cameron ground her teeth. “Her friends call her Bitty. You will call her Mrs. Langston.”  
“Oh, I’ll be calling her Bitty,” he said with a shit eating grin.  
“Let’s go,” she said and stomped out of the room.  
He pushed himself up and followed her. “Aren’t you going to get my bags?” he called out.  
“Yes, sir,” a very proper, very British man dressed in a black suit said as he entered the apartment. “Miss Langston is waiting in the car. Where is your bedroom, sir?”  
House pointed over his shoulder and then went outside. A town car was parked at the curb. He opened the door and slid in next to Cameron.  
“Jeeves is fetching my bags,” he told her.  
“His name isn’t Jeeves. His name is Bennings.”  
“I’m going to call him Jeeves,” House told her as he leaned back.  
Cameron closed her eyes and shook her head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you'd like to see the estate we based the Langston's home on, Google the Stone Mansion in Alpine, NJ. The place is AMAZING.
> 
> We still don't own House.

“Do you really expect your family to believe we’re a couple?” he asked her on the drive to her family’s estate in Alpine, which was about ninety minutes north of Princeton.  
“If you do what we agreed to, yes.”  
“Okayyy, then we need to get our stories straight so when everyone asks, which they will, we’ll be on the same page. I’m sure your boy, Greyhound, will test us at every turn and be looking for any weakness in our “relationship that he can find.”  
Cameron almost laughed at his intentional error with Greyson’s name but let it pass. After all, he was a dog.  
“Good point. What do you suggest?”  
“Well, to make it a bit more plausible, the relationship should be fairly new, but not too new.”  
“Go on.”  
“I think six months is a decent enough time to be together so far. I assume we won’t be sharing a room.”  
“You assume correctly. Sleeping together before marriage is a huge sin according to my mother. She still thinks I’m a virgin. Anyway, you’ll be in one of the guest rooms on the main floor.”  
“And where’s yours?”  
“Upstairs. There is, however, a service elevator. But you didn’t hear that from me.”  
“Duly noted. That said, I have a few rules of my own.”  
“Oh God,” Cameron groaned and rolled her eyes. She could almost imagine what House would come up with. “Okay, what?”  
“No public displays of affection. I don’t kiss my hookers on the mouth, and since this is business, that goes for you, too.”  
“House, that’s not going to work and you know it. They’ll expect us to do that. If we don’t, Greyson will sniff out our lie in a heartbeat and then all bets are off.”  
“What is it about this guy you’re so afraid of?”  
“I’m not afraid of him! Not exactly. He’s just….he can be very persistent and he always gets what he wants. The only reason he didn’t get me is because I dumped his sorry ass when I found out he cheated. He couldn’t figure out why I was so mad about it, and honestly, neither could I,” she chuckled. “I was never in love with him, but the pressure was on us to get married because his parents and mine are so close. The rich marry rich, so future generations can become richer. That’s just the way it is. The only way to escape was to go to school and move away from everything. My parents thought I was crazy at first. I mean, why would I go to school when I could marry Greyson and be a socialite for the rest of my life?”  
“I can’t see you as a socialite. You’d be more like Rapunzel locked in the tower. Like any of the “old money” families I’ve met over the years, wives are to be seen and not heard.”  
“You’re right. I’d be arm candy for Greyson, nothing more. That wasn’t enough for me.”  
“And now you’re a very good doctor, working for a world famous one. If they’re not impressed by that, I’ll have to knock some sense into them with my cane.”  
“You’ll do no such thing. So what’s the other rule? You said you had more than one.”  
“If Grey Poupon gets out of line, comes onto you or touches you in any way, I get to beat _him_ with my cane.”  
Secretly, she would like to see that. “Okay, but don’t hurt him too much. He’s not above pressing charges or suing people.”  
“You think I haven’t been sued before?”  
“Well yeah, but not for causing bodily harm.”  
“True. Mostly by patients, but that’s why Cuddy has a savings account set aside.”  
“Sad, House,” she chuckled. “Oh, and I guess I shouldn’t call you House, but...Greg?”  
“Yeah I guess it would just give them something else to poke at.”  
“And about the kissing…” she said, “it’s not like we haven’t kissed before. What’s the big deal?”  
He rolled his eyes. “You liked it. Too much. I knew I shouldn’t have slipped you the tongue.”  
“You did kiss back,” she said with a grin. He glanced over at her and gave her a slight smile in return.   
“Yeah. So is there anything else I need to know? Do you really think he’s going to try to win you back?”  
“Yeah. I have insider information that my mom did invite him to my grandmother’s birthday, hoping to rekindle our romance because having both daughters unmarried is ruining the social structure,” she said with a roll of her eyes.  
“Why doesn’t slutty sister get married? How much older is she than you?”  
“Five years. I was the miracle baby. My mom lost two babies after my sister, so she gave up trying. Then she got pregnant with me and managed to carry me to term. Anyway, Hilary is actually a widow. She married a soldier but he died in combat.”  
“And now she lives with Mommy and Daddy.”  
“The house is huge. They’re not exactly living on top of each other.”  
“How big is big?”  
“Do you want me to tell you or would you rather see for yourself?”  
“How many bedrooms?”  
“Twelve bedrooms, fifteen full bathrooms, four half bathrooms, a tennis court, basketball court, home theatre, exercise room, bars, sauna….”  
“Pool?”  
“Of course. Outdoor.”  
He let out a low whistle. “I think I’m in love.”  
She giggled. “Just don’t overdo it. Greyson and I were never touchy feely when we were together and he once called me as frigid as the Atlantic and said that my legs were locked together at the knee.”  
“Are they?” he asked, with an arch of his eyebrow.  
“Please. I’ve been sleeping with Chase for the last year. You even caught us in the janitor’s closet.”  
“Which you set up,” he pointed out. “You wanted me to see you with him. The question is why?”  
“To make you jealous, obviously. I knew it wouldn’t work but the part of me that still has a crush on you hoped it would.”  
He leaned a little closer. “Do you still feel like that? I heard you and Chase aren’t screwing like bunnies anymore.”  
“He wanted more than I did. I didn’t want to hurt him so I called it off. I was actually going to resign after you fired him and Foreman quit but then this came up. You’re the only one I thought I could count on to do this for me. That has to mean something.”  
“It does,” he said softly and then looked out the window. They were out of the city now, and in the countryside. There were a lot of big homes and he wondered just how big the Langston estate was. Langston department stores had been around for a hundred years and had stores all across the country. It was almost intimidating to think about. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence but then the car came to a stop at the gates, which opened slowly. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. He and Cameron weren’t really a couple. They were just playing a game. A fun game, to be sure. However, when he saw the huge sprawling stone mansion with its perfectly manicured lawn, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.  
 _Too late now_ , he thought to himself as the car stopped next to a water fountain on the circular driveway. There were a couple of other cars parked nearby; a black Ferrari and a silver Rolls Royce.  
“Who else is here?” he asked as they got out of the car while Bennings got their bags from the trunk.   
“I don’t know but the Ferrari is Greyson’s. It used to be red but I guess he got a new one.”  
“It’s showtime!” he said as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together with glee. Cameron shook her head but for the sake of appearances, she reached for his hand. The shock of electricity wasn’t lost on either of them, and they looked at each other as the front door opened and several people stepped out.


	3. Chapter 3

An older couple, a man in his thirties and a woman around the same age all came outside and stood together.  
“Allison!” Millicent called out as she held out her arms to her youngest. She wore a cream colored silk suit, black pumps and pearls. Like Cameron, she had shiny blonde hair but she wore hers in a short, artfully tousled cut that emphasized her high cheekbones, strong jaw and large blue eyes.   
“Hi Mom.” Cameron hugged her mother and then turned to her father.  
“Hi. Princess,” Mundell Langston said as enveloped his daughter in a tight bear hug. He wore a dark grey suit, a white shirt, navy and silver striped tie and glossy black wingtips. His silver hair was neatly combed and he looked every inch the billionaire.   
He looked over her shoulder at House as he released her. “Who’ve you brought with you?”  
“Mom, Dad, Hilary, Greyson, this is Doctor Gregory House. He runs the Diagnostics department at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. I’m a member of his diagnostic team.”  
“You’re dating your boss?” Greyson snorted. “Wow.” His light brown hair fell over his forehead and his dark eyes seemed lifeless. He wore a pale green shirt open at the neck with the sleeves rolled back to reveal his tanned forearms. He balck pants were neatly pressed and he wore loafers. He was short and rather squat. He reminded House of a bulldog. An expensively dressed one, but a bulldog all the same. Even his lower jaw jutted out slightly.  
“Actually, Doctor Lisa Cuddy, the Dean of Medicine is my boss,” Cameron added, glaring at him.   
“Same difference.”  
“Not even close, pal,” House said to him. “We work as a team.”  
“And you’re her supervisor,” Greyson pointed out. “Don’t mince words. I’m not stupid.”  
“That remains to be seen.”  
Mundell covered up a laugh by clearing his throat. “Yes, well, let’s all go inside, shall we? Dinner will be served in an hour. Allison, you can show Doctor House to a guest room on the main floor. I trust that will be suitable, Doctor House?”  
He nodded. “It’ll be fine, thanks. And you can just call me House. Everyone else does.”  
“House it is. We dress for dinner so we’ll see you in the dining room in an hour.”  
Hilary made a beeline for House and offered her hand. She tossed her long blonde hair and cocked a hip in what was meant to be a seductive pose. Her black sheath dress left little to the imagination and her heavily made up green eyes gleamed with lust as she looked at him.   
“Hilary Langston.” She looked him up and down like he was an item on the menu and licked her lips. “Any more like you at home?”  
“Nope. I’m an only child,” he said, ignoring her hand as he followed Cameron inside.  
“Don’t worry, dear,” Millicent said to Greyson as they headed inside. “They’re probably just good friends.”  
“Did you know she was bringing him?”  
“No, I didn’t. He seems like a nice man, doesn’t he?”  
“Please, Bitty. He’s must be at least twenty years older than she is. I’m surprised Mundell hasn’t ordered him to leave. They’re almost the same age.”  
“I’m actually only forty-seven.” House stopped walking and was leaning against his cane in the doorway of the guest room. “And I have the hearing of a twenty-year-old. So if you’re going to talk about me behind my back, at least be good at it. Don’t be bitter just because you screwed up. You had your chance and you blew it.”  
“With all due respect, Doctor House, what makes you think she’s going to want you when she can be with me and have all that she wants?”  
“With all due respect….Greystroke...Greyhound...whatever your name is, I happen to be damn good at my job. What do you do? Sit in your office and count your gold bits?”  
“At least I have gold bits,” Greyson snarled, stepping toe to toe with House but barely came up to his chin.   
“Wow, this He-Man power play is really turning me on,” Cameron said as she squeezed in between the two men. “House, let it go,” she said sternly, placing a hand on his chest. Then she looked at Greyson. “And Greyson, back off. I’m with House now.”  
Greyson snickered. “You call him House?” Then he cocked his head to one side. “Not a very close relationship if you’re on a last name basis, is it?”  
“No, it isn’t,” Hilary said from where she stood.  
“Oh, blow it out your ass, Hilary,” Cameron groaned as she grabbed House’s hand and led him away.  
“Wow, your family is a piece of work. Your dad seems cool, though.”  
“He likes you. That’s good. My mom invited Greyson because she wants us to get back together. She’s delusional.”  
“Umm, where are we going?”  
She led him down the hall and showed him a doorway. “Service elevator is through there, and my room is on the second floor, across the hall from it.”  
“And you’re telling me this because…”  
“Just in case you need to go up there,” she said with a shrug. “Now, go get dressed, wear your dark suit.”  
“Yes, Mistress,” he said in a deep voice and limped back to the guest room.  
The room was luxurious. Pale yellow silk curtains framed the large windows. The white carpet was thick and lush. A huge white four poster bed was made up with a pale yellow and white striped duvet and a pile of yellow, black and white pillows. The white night tables on either side of the bed each had large white lamps with black lamp shades and neatly stacked piles of books. On the white desk was a laptop, printer, another black and white lamp along with a cell phone charger. Abstract paintings splashed with yellow, black and white hung on the pristine white walls. House looked up and saw a massive crystal chandelier hanging over the center of the room. He calculated the ceiling was at least twenty feet high. Looking around, he didn’t see his suitcases. There were two doors on the far wall. Grabbing his cane, his made his way over to them. Behind one was a walk-in closet the size of his apartment and behind the other was a bathroom nearly as large. All his clothes hung neatly in the closet and his shoes were placed on a tall circular shoe rack. One wall was lined with drawers and shelves. His shirts and underwear were neatly folded in several of the drawers. His ties that he stole from Wilson over the years were draped neatly over a revolving tie rack. Sitting down on the round ottoman in the center of the room, he rubbed his leg. Seeing all this luxury made him feel a little out of his element. He intended to enjoy every second of his stay but he still felt a little overwhelmed that this was Cameron’s world. She grew up in this house. She grew up with more money than he’d ever see. Standing carefully, he stripped down to his boxers and left his clothes and shoes in a pile on the floor. He limped out of the closet and into the bathroom. A huge glassed in shower with several gold shower heads lining the walls took up one corner. A long countertop with two basins took up the wall next to it. Another closet held piles of thick, soft towels and a thick white cotton robe hung on the door. There were even slippers tucked in cubby holes. House grabbed some towels and limped over to the massive sunken tub. He dumped the towels on the floor beside the tub and noted with delight it had jet sprays. Looking around, he frowned when he didn’t see a toilet. Didn’t these people pee? Then he saw another door. He laughed when he opened it and saw a pedestal sink and toilet. Like the bedroom, everything in the bathroom was pale yellow with black and white accents. He quickly used the toilet, flushed, kicked his boxers off and headed for the tub. He adjusted the water so that it was very hot, turned on the jets and carefully lowered himself in. Leaning back, he sighed in pleasure. The hot water pulsed against his leg and the pain receded to a tolerable level. He leaned forward when the tub filled and shut of the water. He lay back and closed his eyes. The tub was so big, he floated in it.   
“House?”  
He jerked abruptly and nearly went under. Sitting up, he looked around for the voice that seemed to come out of thin air.  
“House?”  
“Cameron? Where the hell are you?” he asked looking around the room.  
“House, press the button next to the tub. It’s a two way speaker.”  
He looked around and found the button. “I’m trying to take a bath,” he told her.  
“Well, hurry up and finish…”  
“That’s what she said,” he chuckled.  
He could almost imagine her eye roll but she still chuckled. “We’re due in the library for drinks before dinner. You’ve got twenty minutes. I’ll be at your door in fifteen. Oh, and brush your hair.”  
“More rules,” he muttered as he grabbed a bar of soap and bathed quickly. He flipped the drain on the tub and got out. Picking up a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. He limped over to the counter and looked for his toiletries bag. When he didn’t see it, began pulling open drawers until he located everything. He found his brush and ran it through his hair. Then he swiped on some deodorant and went out into the bedroom. When he walked into the closet, he stopped short. The pile of clothes and shoes were gone. He’d have to ask Cameron what happened to them. He dressed as quickly as possible in his dark blue suit, white shirt, red tie and dark blue socks. He sat on the ottoman and pulled on his dress Nikes. A knock sounded on the door as he picked up his cane. Opening the door, he was momentarily stunned. Cameron stood in the hallway wearing a pale blue gauzy tea length dress and nude platform pumps. Her hair was twisted up and tiny sapphire earrings glinted in the lights. Her makeup highlighted her blue-green eyes and delicate bone structure.   
“Ready?” she asked holding out her hand.  
“Always,” he responded as he took her hand. Again electricity flowed through them when they touched. “Will Greymound be here for dinner?”  
“Unfortunately. But you’ll get to meet my grandmother. You’ll like her and she’ll definitely like you.”  
“What do you call her? Mittens? Buffy? Totsy?”  
“Stop,” she pleaded. “I call her GG. Everyone calls her GG.”  
“Your grandmother’s name is Gigi? Was she a burlesque dancer back in the day?” he teased.  
They stopped in front of of two large wooden doors. “No. It’s two G’s. Her name is Grace Houghton Langston. Grandmother Grace. GG.”  
“Got it,” he told her with a wink.  
“One more thing,” she said in a serious tone. “I slipped up earlier when I called you House. I won’t do it again but you absolutely can _not_ call me Cameron. I don’t want them to know I was married. They won’t understand.”  
“Got it, Allison,” he said, lifting her hand and dropping a kiss on it. As his lips skimmed her smooth skin, desire coursed through his veins. He looked up at her and saw her eyes had darkened with desire as well.   
“We should go in,” she whispered.  
“Yeah.”


	4. Chapter 4

They opened the doors and entered the room. Bookshelves lined the two walls and more bookshelves were visible from an upper deck that circled the room. A tall, rolling ladder rested against one of the shelves. Greyson lounged against the fireplace. He wore a white dinner jacket, black pants, white shirt, black tie and shiny black shoes. He held a martini glass in his hand and looked at House with disdain. Sitting on a sleek grey sofa, Hilary looked up when they entered. She wore a skin tight silver dress and silver strappy heels. Diamonds flashed at her ears and throat. She wore even more makeup and her hair flowed over her shoulders. Beside her sat a much older woman. Wearing a simple green dress, she held herself with an air of dignity and grace. Her short silver hair framed her lined face but her green eyes were sharp and missed nothing. Mundell stood up from the other couch and approached House and Cameron.   
“Allow me to introduce you to my mother,” he said to House. “Mother this is Allison’s boyfriend, Greg House. He’s a well known doctor.”  
Grace Langston smiled at House. “A pleasure to meet you, Doctor House.”  
House nodded. “The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Langston.”  
“Oh, call me GG.”  
“You can call me Greg.”  
“What will you have to drink, House?” Mundell asked with a smile.   
“A scotch, neat.”  
“Champagne for you, Princess?”  
“No, I’ll have what Greg is having.”  
Hilary snorted. “Since when do you drink scotch?”  
“Since she met me,” House answered smoothly.  
“You’re calling him Greg now?” Greyson asked with scorn.  
“Sometimes I call him House but I usually call him Greg,” she replied smoothly as her father handed her a glass. She took a sip.  
“And do you call her Langston?” Greyson continued.  
“No, Greysop, I don’t. I call her Allison.”  
“It’s Greyson,” he ground out.  
House slipped an arm around Cameron’s waist and tasted his scotch. It was smooth as it went down.   
“Macallan?” he asked.  
“Macallan M,” Greyson informed him. “A gift from me.”  
“Of course it is,” House smirked. Cameron looked up at him with a raised brow.  
“How long have you known Allison?” GG asked.  
“About four years now.”  
“How long have you been sleeping with her?” Hilary asked.  
“Hilary Grace Langston!” her mother gasped.  
“Oh, please, Mother,” Hilary sighed. “It’s the twenty-first century. That outdated notion of yours about no sex before marriage is ridiculous.”  
“Bunny,” GG said. “Enough.”   
Hilary leaned back against the couch and sulked.  
Bennings glided in. “Dinner is served.”  
House leaned down and whispered in Cameron’s ear. “Jeeves.”  
She shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear.  
“Cold, Kitten?” Greyson asked making her jump slightly.  
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.  
House led her out of the library and they followed the others. “Kitten?” he asked softly. “You told me you didn’t have a nickname and so far I’ve heard two.”  
“My father is the only one who calls me Princess and Greyson thinks he being cute when he calls me that. I hate it.”  
“I could trip him with my cane. And besides, kitten doesn’t suit you at all. But hell cat might,” he leered at her, which sent another shiver through her. They entered the dining room off the kitchen area. It was surrounded by large windows, giving it a bright and airy feel. Bitty indicated where everyone should sit. She put Cameron next to Greyson and House down at the end of the table next to Mundell. Cameron defiantly moved to sit next to House, who shot a triumphant smile at Greyson.  
“Am I behaving?” he whispered in her ear as he kept an eye on Greyson, who was shooting daggers at him.  
“So far.”  
“I aim to please. So, do I get the grand tour tonight?” he asked.  
“Sure.”  
“You a movie lover, House?” Mundell asked him.  
“Yep.”  
“Get Allison to show you the home theatre.”  
“That’s definitely at the top of my list.”  
“The massage room is nice too,” Hilary told him with a sexy glance. “I took a course in massage therapy. I could massage your leg.”  
“The only woman who’ll be massaging my leg is Allison. So thanks, Bunny, but no thanks.”  
Bitty cleared her throat and looked uncomfortable. “You could show him the pool,” she suggested. “She and Greyson used to spend a lot of time out there. Didn’t you, Allison?”  
“Yeah, when we were kids,” Cameron said with a smirk.  
“Especially the pool house,” Greyson added with a sly wink at her.  
“Your pool house days with Allison are over, Greyhound.”  
Cameron stifled a laugh and took a long sip of her wine. As much as she hated to admit it, she enjoyed the pissing match between House and Greyson. It was really no contest. Greyson was no match for House in intellect or wit. Mundell and GG also seemed amused by the banter, while Bitty sat in an embarrassed silence.  
Dinner was sirloin steak and lobster tails. House couldn’t remember the last time he ate lobster but watching Cameron eat it was a whole different experience. It was the most seductive thing he’d ever seen. The way she dipped the lobster meat into the butter and brought it to her mouth made his pants suddenly a lot more snug. He almost didn’t hear GG speaking to him. He slowly looked away from Cameron and turned his attention to the older woman. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”  
Her eyes were bright with amusement and House smiled at her. “I was asking what your specialty is?”  
“I’m board certified in Infectious Diseases and Nephrology. I run the Diagnostic Medicine department at Princeton Plainsboro.”  
“How fascinating! What does that entail?”  
“I figure out what’s wrong with people and I fix it.”  
“Pfft, all doctors do that,” Greyson sniffed.  
“We solve the cases that other doctors can’t,” Cameron added. “Greg lives for the puzzle. People come from all over the world to see him. His success rate is the highest in the hospital.”  
“That’s very impressive. And what does it mean to be board certified?”  
“It means they have to pay me more,” House grinned at GG, who smiled back at him. They were certainly getting along and Cameron was thrilled. While GG was fairly easy going, if she didn’t like someone, she made it very clear. She clearly didn’t like Greyson and ignored him throughout the entire meal.  
After dessert, everyone retreated to the lounge for coffee and Brandy which House took advantage of. There were also fine cigars that he also helped himself to. He and Mundell sat in chairs next to the fireplace and smoked while they talked and it was obvious that Greyson had been replaced.  
“How about that tour?” Cameron asked House when he stubbed out the cigar in the ashtray.   
“Sounds good.”  
She took him downstairs and showed him the basketball court, the gym, sauna, and the wine cellar, which House was very impressed with. “Wow,” he said as he walked into the room. It had a dome ceiling with an antique chandelier, tile floors and oak cabinets. The wine stored there ranged from simple to extravagant. “Quite a collection. It’s hard to believe that you lived here. It’s surreal.”  
She leaned against the heavy doors and watched him explore everything, look at wine labels, touch the wood. She shivered at the thought of his fingers grazing over her skin like that. So gentle and slow, like he had all the time in the world.  
“It’s just a house,” she said with a shrug.   
“No it’s not. It’s an estate, and it’s a little intimidating.”  
She frowned. “Do you want to leave?”  
He shot her a look. “Do you?”  
“Only because Greyson’s here but I want to be here for GG’s party.”  
“Me too.”  
“I just worry…”  
He moved closer and leaned against the wall next to her, tapping his cane on the floor. “I don’t trust that creep.”  
“And you shouldn’t.”  
“I guess I’ll just have to make sure not to let you out of my sight,” he said with a sexy grin. “And we need to convince him that he really has no chance of getting you back.” Then House looked intently at her. “He doesn’t, right?”  
“Hell no. Haven’t you noticed I’ve been ignoring him all night?”  
“I have, but he’s been hanging onto your every word and I don’t like the way he talks to you, or looks at you.”  
“That makes two of us. Anyway, come on, I’ll show you the home theatre. Maybe we can watch something before calling it a night. My dad has a huge movie collection.”  
“Of course he does,” House chuckled as he let her take his hand and she began pull him out of the wine cellar but he stopped when he heard footsteps. “Someone’s coming.” He tugged on her hand and pulled her against his body before lowering his lips to hers and giving her a soft kiss. However, what started as gentle didn’t stay that way for long. Her hands wrapped around his neck and buried in his hair as he pressed her against the wall, his tongue slid past her lips and explored her mouth as she returned the kiss with the same feverish urgency.  
“What are you two doing in here?” Greyson demanded as he looked between the two of them. Cameron’s lips were pink and her face was flushed.  
“Well we thought we’d start with some kissing and then move into the fancy stuff,” House said with a smug grin.  
“Very funny.” He turned to Cameron. “Your Mom wants to see you.”  
“What about?”  
“I have no idea but she was looking for you and sent me to come find you.”  
“That’s a good Greyhound,” House said like he was talking to a dog.  
“I’ll be right back. Why don’t you go pick out a movie? The theatre room’s just around the corner,” Cameron told him.  
“Okay.”  
She left and House wanted to follow, but decided it was best not to. He gently touched his lips. That kiss they just shared was hot. Much hotter than before. The important thing was that Greyson had seen it, and House hoped that would be a clear indication that Cameron was out of his reach.


	5. Chapter 5

“You wanted to see me?” Cameron inquired when she found Bitty in the kitchen. Her mother turned around and glared.  
“Yes, I want you to know that your behavior will not be tolerated.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Your treatment of Greyson at dinner. Choosing to sit beside that... _man_ instead.” Bitty’s disdain for House was obvious.  
“That man has a name and he’s my date for this weekend. We’ve been dating for the last six months. Why wouldn’t I sit next to him?”  
“Oh, Allison,” Bitty sighed. “We had such high hopes for you. You and Greyson were childhood sweethearts, you were going to get married….”  
“Greyson and I are NOT getting married. Ever. He cheated on me, Mom. That’s why I broke up with him. So you might as well tell him not to bother coming to the party tomorrow because I sure as hell won’t be dancing with him.”  
“Of course he’s coming. GG adores him.”  
“GG can’t stand him! Is your head buried so deep in the sand that you can’t see it? Look, I’m with Greg. I don’t know where things are going, but he sure as hell treats me with more respect than Greyson ever did. Greyson wants a trophy wife. A pretty girl to drape on his arm in public and when he has no need for her, he’ll lock her in the tower.”  
“Allison!”  
“It’s true! And I deserve to be treated better. I’m also a better doctor thanks to Greg. Greyson is ancient history and it’s about time you realized that. I want and deserve more out of life than what you expect of me. And I’m sure Daddy would agree. He and Greg hit it off and I’m glad. So you can go stick your head back in the sand if you want. I’m done here.” And with that, she stormed out of the kitchen and went back downstairs.  
She smelled the popcorn almost immediately and smiled when she arrived. House certainly made himself at home as he took a bag out of the microwave and poured it into one of the plastic bowls.  
“Just in time,” he said as he poured hot butter over the popcorn. When he turned around and saw her, his smile turned into a frown. “What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing, why?”  
“You’ve been crying.”  
Cameron shrugged and took a seat in the back row. “I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just watch the movie. What did you pick?”  
“Pearl Harbor.”  
“You’ve seen it?”  
“Yeah.”  
“So have I. That’s kinda the point, isn’t it?” he said with a sexy grin as he dimmed the lights and started the movie.  
“Yeah, well don’t be surprised if we have company. My dad or sister will probably join us, and probably Greyson, too.”  
“The more the merrier,” he said as he wrapped an arm possessively around her shoulders so she was leaning against him, popcorn bowl balanced on his lap.  
“I love the music in this movie,” she giggled as she grabbed a handful for herself. “How you can eat popcorn after the dinner we just ate is beyond me.”  
“Shhh the movie’s starting,” he whispered.  
As predicted, Hilary and Greyson joined them a short time later and House amused himself by tossing popcorn at the front row where they sat. It annoyed Cameron how often Greyson would continually look over his shoulder at them.  
“This is ridiculous,” she whispered. “I’m sick of this. Let’s go.” She began to get up but House pulled her back down.  
“Don’t give him the satisfaction. Let’s give him something to look at, then maybe he’ll stop.”  
Cameron’s mischievous grin matched House’s. “What did you have in mind?”  
“Oh, I think you know. We’re in a darkened movie theatre...in the back row. What usually goes on?”  
She felt her entire body heat up at what he was suggesting and when she felt his lips on her neck, then nibbling her earlobe, she shivered. His whiskers tickled but his lips against her skin felt amazing. So much for her rule about no PDA’s. House was right. Greyson needed to learn he wouldn’t get her back. As House’s hand slid over her leg her mind continued to whir with thoughts and ideas. What if things could work out between them? Maybe this whole weekend was really her subconscious telling her to start a relationship with House? After all, Chase was out of the picture since House fired him. Cameron planned to go to Arizona with him since House didn’t seem to want her.  
However, his behavior led her to think much differently. His hand found its way under her dress and was still stroking her leg, but it didn’t move further. She rolled her neck to one side to give him more access, allowing her to glance over at Greyson, who was indeed watching them.  
_He’s probably stroking himself_ , she thought and almost giggled. When they dated, he often told her he had to finish himself off because she wouldn’t give him any and he’d end up with blue balls if he didn’t. And she’d come back by telling him that “blue balls” were a myth.  
“What’re you thinking about?” House whispered in her ear as he nibbled it. His warm breath against her cheek felt amazing.  
“He’s watching,” she whispered back.  
“I know. How about we get out of here...think he’ll follow us?”  
“Only one way to find out.”  
They got up and none too quietly made their way out of the room, slamming the door behind them. “Where to now?” she asked him, still a little breathless from their make out session.  
“The library for a nightcap?” House suggested. “And besides, it’ll give us a chance to talk. If you know what I mean,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.  
“House...we really do need to talk.”  
He looked down as he tapped his cane on the floor. “Yeah I guess we should. Besides, conversation, like certain parts of the anatomy, always runs smoother when it’s lubricated.”  
They stepped into the elevator and took it up to the main floor. When they entered the library, it appeared Mundell had the same idea as he sat by the fire with a snifter of Brandy.  
“Hi, Daddy.”  
Mundell rose. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. Feel free to lock the door behind me.”  
Cameron gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before he left and did just that.  
“And here I thought your dad would want to kill me.”  
“No, he’s pretty liberal. My mom is the conservative. She’d probably faint if she saw us down there.”  
“Probably. So what are you drinking?”  
“Whatever you’re having. There should be the scotch that Greyson brought in the cabinet.”  
“Excellent choice.”  
He brought over two tumblers and handed her one as he sat in the chair across from her in front of the fire.  
“So, what should we talk about?” he asked her.  
“What happens when we return to PPTH?”  
“What do you want to happen?”  
“Well, I guess it depends on how this weekend goes.”  
“Did you really dump Chase?”  
“Yes. I didn’t want to go to Arizona and I still don’t. Besides, technically, I’m still on your team. Unless you planned on firing me, too.”  
House shook his head. “Your fellowship may be up but I’ve been too busy to think about it. Foreman’s leaving and Chase is gone. You’re the only one left. If you want to stay, that’s cool.”  
She smiled at him. “Do you think we could work together and have a real relationship? Would we be able to leave work at work?”  
He shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out. That said, if we are going to try this, it might be best to keep it on the down low. I’m sure Cuddy will have plenty to say about it, and will probably try to tell us we can’t. Wilson will be on our side, which helps, but I don’t want a repeat performance of our date. I don’t know about you, but I had everyone coming to me and giving me advice. It was ridiculous.”  
Her eyes widened. “Wilson actually approached me and warned me not to break _your_ heart.”  
“Is that so?” he asked.  
“Yep.”  
“Well, Foreman basically told me to be a jerk, let you see me as I really am.”  
She took a long sip of the Scotch as she considered her next words. “I know I backed you into a corner on our date, making you declare feelings that you weren’t ready for, and I apologize.”  
House shrugged. “It’s in the past.” Then he sat forward and looked seriously at her. “I think it could work. It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. People are going to try to talk you out of being with me.”  
“They can try all they want. They won’t succeed. I don’t care what others think, anyway. And besides, it really shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. I think the whole hospital knows how I feel about you.”  
“Even Chase?”  
“Definitely Chase. It’s why he managed to talk me into going to Arizona with him. He thought if he could get me away from PPTH, I might forget about you and be with him. It wouldn’t have worked though.” She gave him a slight smile. “You’re a very difficult man to forget.”  
“Did you plan for this to happen when you asked me to come with you?”  
“No. I just didn’t want to come alone because I knew Greyson would be here and that Mom would be pushing for us to get back together. I might’ve cracked under the pressure and given in. Bringing you made that difficult.”  
“You could’ve asked Wilson.”  
“Probably.” She looked seriously at him. “But I don’t want Wilson.”  
House was about to say something when the sound of a doorknob turning alerted him to the door.  
“Did you lock it?” he whispered.  
Cameron grinned. “Damn right. Shhh...maybe he’ll go away.”  
“Maybe, but what can we do in the meantime that doesn’t require any talking?” he whispered.  
“I think I can come up with something,” she whispered back as she leaned closer to him. He did the same and their lips met. He tasted the Scotch on her lips and her tongue as the kiss intensified. She let out a small sigh when his hand slid around her neck to pull her even closer, his fingers burying in her hair.  
“I know you’re in there!” Greyson shouted from the other side of the door as he banged on it.  
“Scram, kid!” House called out. “Or you’re liable to get educated!”  
Cameron slid one strap of her dress down her shoulder and shook her hair loose. “Open the door.”  
“I have taught you well, young Jedi,” he chuckled and got up to let Greyson in. “Do you have a reason for being in here or are you intentionally trying to ruin our nightcap?” House hissed at him.  
“I’m sure Bitty would love to hear about the two of you making out in the theatre and then coming in here to make out.”  
Cameron shrugged. “What’s she gonna do? Spank me?”  
House leered at her. “Don’t give me any ideas.”  
“Too late,” she replied with a saucy grin. “Go home, Greyson.”  
“I’m staying here tonight.”  
“Says who?”  
“Bitty invited me to stay for the weekend.”  
“Yeah, and I’m sure that was before she knew Greg would be coming here with me. You have no reason to stay.”  
“I’ve been helping with preparations for the party.”  
“Right.” House finished off his Scotch and put the glass in the small sanitizer under the bar. “Well, I don’t know about you, Allison, but I’m suddenly tired. I’m going to turn in.”  
She got up and slipped her hand into House’s. “See me to my room?”

They left Greyson in the library, slack-jawed, and took the elevator up to her room. “That was too much fun,” she giggled as she leaned against her bedroom door.  
“And there will be more fun tomorrow,” he assured her. “You’ll lock your door tonight, I hope.”  
“Yeah I will. G’night...Greg,” she said and stepped closer to him.  
“G’night,” he said as he closed the gap between them and gave her a soft, sweet kiss which left her wanting more.


	6. Chapter 6

The Langston estate was quiet. Everyone was asleep. Well, almost everyone. Greyson moved quietly downstairs, the master key in the palm of his hand and made his way to Cameron’s bedroom. Slipping the key in the lock, the door opened and he swiftly entered the room, closing the door softly behind him.   
He stood at the foot of her bed and watched her sleep. She was his; always would be. If she hadn’t brought House with her, Greyson had no doubt he and her mother would be able to persuade her to give him another chance. Everyone makes mistakes, after all. It wasn’t his fault she was so frigid he had to look elsewhere for his physical needs years ago.  
Suddenly, she sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up over herself and glared, making him jump back a few steps. “What the hell do you think you’re doing in here?”  
“Just watching you sleep.”  
“How did you get in here?” she demanded.  
He held up the master key and smiled proudly. “Come, come now, Allison. You’re not afraid of me, are you?”  
“Of course not.”  
“Good, then let’s talk,” he said as he sat down on her bed.  
“We have nothing to talk about Greyson, now get out.”  
“Don’t be coy, Allison. You don’t really love that old guy, do you? I mean come on, he’s almost twice your age and...handicapped. What can he possibly give you that I can’t?”  
“First of all, it’s none of your business. And second, we haven’t been together that long.”  
“Long enough. I think you just brought him here so you wouldn’t be alone.”  
“Yes, that’s part of it. GG said I could bring a date and Greg wanted to see the place.”  
“Of course he did. If you marry him, it’ll be his one day.”  
“He’s not with me for the money, Greyson. He didn’t even know about my family until just recently. Besides, he’s a department head at the hospital. He’s not exactly living paycheck to paycheck.”  
“I don’t trust him. And I know there’s something going on here. I’m going to figure out what it is.”  
“Oh whatever, Greyson. Go do your little detective work. Call that low-life friend of yours from prep school for all I care. Lucas...what’s his name. You won’t find anything because there’s nothing to find. I’m not ever going to take you back or forgive you for what you did. Hell, I don’t even know why I was so upset. It’s not like I was in love with you. Now get out!”  
“Oh come on, you can’t be serious…”  
She grabbed a vase next to the bed and threatened to throw it. “Get out!”  
When he didn’t move, she hit the intercom next to her bed. “Bennings, please come to my room.”  
“Yes, right away, Miss.”  
Cameron glared at Greyson and then there was a knock at the door. “Come in!”  
The door opened but it wasn’t Bennings, it was House, and he was barely keeping his temper in check. “I heard the yelling. Everything okay?”  
“No.”  
“How the hell did you hear anything?” Greyson demanded of House.  
“My room is right underneath this one, and this is an old house. A vent connects the two rooms. Now get the hell out before my cane finds a new home.”  
“You don’t scare me, old man,” Greyson laughed. “You’re no match for me. I can give Allison everything you can’t and more.”  
“If you knew Allison, you’d know she doesn’t care about those things.”  
Bennings arrived, looking half asleep, but dressed in his evening finery. “Is there a problem, Miss?”  
“Yes, Greyson seems to have gotten lost. Please escort him back to his room.”  
Bennings looked at Greyson and disgust flared in his eyes. He blinked and looked dispassionately at them. “Please allow me to escort you back to your room, Mister Rockland.”  
“Go back to bed,” Greyson ordered.  
“Shall I call security, Miss?” Bennings asked.  
Greyson narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare. I’m a guest in this house and you’re nothing.”  
“Miss?” Bennings asked again with an edge to his voice as he stared at Greyson.  
Cameron pressed the intercom button. “Send security up to my room, please.”  
“Fine,” Greyson said sullenly. “But we aren’t finished, Allison.”  
He turned to leave and fell flat on his face. Springing up, he turned on House. “You tripped me! You saw him! He tripped me with his cane.”  
“I didn’t see anything,” Cameron said.  
House shrugged. “Neither did I.”  
“Nor I,” Bennings said. He leveled an unwavering stare at Greyson. “However, I am nothing.”  
Greyson growled and stormed out of the room pushing through the men who stood outside.  
“If that is all, Miss? Doctor?” Bennings asked with a slight smile.  
“Yes, thank you, Bennings,” Cameron responded with a smirk.  
“Good job, Jeeves,” House winked.  
“Ah, do you read Wodehouse, Doctor?”  
“Got them all.”  
Bennings bowed slightly. “Good evening.”  
Once Bennings left, House looked at Cameron. “Tell me again why you dated that creepy stalker?”  
“I really don’t know.”  
“Want me to stay up here with you?”  
Cameron looked at him with a slight smile. “Where would you sleep?”  
He shrugged. “It’s a huge bed.”  
“Then climb in,” she smiled turning back the covers. “But no sex.”  
“Spoilsport,” House grumbled as he got into the bed.  
“We can cuddle,” she said as she turned out the light.  
“How long have you known me?” he asked.  
“Go to sleep, House,” she laughed.  
He waited until she settled and fell asleep then slid across the bed. He lay as close to her as possible without touching her. As if she sensed him, she rolled over and snuggled up against him. Very carefully he slid his right leg between hers and put his arm over her waist. She tucked her head beneath his chin and sighed in her sleep. The warmth from her body soon relaxed him and he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.  
***  
The sun shone through the windows and cast a warm glow over Cameron as she slowly woke up. She was warm. Hot, actually, and at first she couldn’t figure out why. Then she glanced to the side and smiled. House was practically spooned up behind her, snoring softly against her back. She placed her hands over his which rested on her stomach and felt how soft they were, admiring his long fingers. She wondered if he might play the piano at GG’s party. She was sure GG would like that, as would everyone else, and made a mental note to ask him about it later.  
“What time’s it?” he murmured.  
“Nine.”  
“Too early.”  
“Go back to sleep then. I’m hungry so I’m getting up,” she said and attempted to disentangle herself from House’s grasp but he held her tighter.  
“What’s your hurry?”  
“I have to pee, for one,” she laughed. “So you’d better let go or you’ll be sorry.”  
He groaned but let her go and she quickly padded across the room to the bathroom while he rolled onto his back. Things had definitely shifted between them but in a way he hadn’t anticipated. He was still mad about Greyson letting himself into her room. Would he have done the unthinkable? He certainly had the opportunity. House lied when he said he could hear them. He couldn’t. But Benning’s footsteps in the hall made him curious so he decided to follow the man, since there was no reason anyone would be walking the halls at that time of night. He would definitely have words with Greyson later, and made a promise to himself not to let Cameron be alone with him for any reason.   
When she came back out, he admired her attire, a satin tank top with spaghetti straps and matching shorts. He loved feeling the fabric as he slept next to her, and inhaling her scent.  
“Nice jammies,” he said with a sexy grin.  
“I like them,” she said as she threw a robe on. “Are you going back to sleep?”  
“No,” he yawned and stretched. “I’ll get up. Need coffee.”  
“I’ll meet you in the kitchen then,” she said and left him in her bed.  
When she went to the kitchen, Hilary and her mother were already there, talking softly at the kitchen table but stopped when she entered the room. “You can keep talking about me,” Cameron smirked at them.  
“Don’t think I didn’t hear about Doctor House spending the night in your room, young lady,” Bitty scolded. “And don’t you dare roll your eyes at me.”  
“You want to know why, Mother? Because Greyson helped himself to the master key and let himself into my room. Then he stood there, like a creeper, watching me sleep until I woke up. When he wouldn’t leave, I called for Bennings to escort him out. Then Greg heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. Forgive me for not feeling safe in my own home, but I asked Greg to stay.”  
“Pfft,” Hilary snorted, “Greyson’s harmless.”  
“If all he wanted was to talk, he didn’t have to sneak into my room in the middle of the night.”  
“I guess he figured Greg wouldn’t be there and that was his only chance to get you alone.”  
“Oh, so now you’re defending him? Did he visit your room after he left mine?”  
Hilary waved her hand in dismissal, like she was flicking a bug off of her. “Please, I don’t go for the short, stocky type. I like the tall, handsome, blue-eyed type,” she smiled at House as he limped into the kitchen. “Good morning, Doctor House. Coffee?”  
“Absolutely,” he said with a nod and took the empty seat beside Cameron that Hilary just vacated.  
Hilary placed a steaming hot cup in front of him and stood over him, giving him an ample view of her assets. “Cream?”  
“Just sugar,” he said and reached for the sugar bowl. Cameron snickered when he ignored Hilary.  
“Greg?” Cameron asked.  
“Yes?”  
“Would you play the piano at GG’s party tomorrow?”  
“I could be persuaded,” he smiled back at her.  
“Are you any good?” Bitty inquired, looking skeptical. “I mean, anyone can play Claire de Lune,” she laughed.  
“Can you?” he asked her, and she frowned. Cameron smiled into her coffee cup and Hilary suppressed a laugh.  
“Ha! Mom can’t even play Chopsticks.”  
Not knowing what else to say, Bitty promptly excused herself and the three of them cracked up laughing.  
“That was mean, Greg.”  
“Then why are you laughing?”  
“Because only you could know how to knock someone down off their high horse.”  
“It’s a gift,” House said proudly.  
“And a very useful one,” Hilary said in a sexy tone.   
House ignored her and turned his attention back to Cameron. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”  
“Whatever you want. I thought I’d spend the day by the pool since it’s so nice out and just relax. Tomorrow’s going to be busy.”  
“I could get down with that. I assume you packed my swim shorts?”  
“I did.”  
Hilary sniffed. “Isn’t Greg capable of packing for himself? He’s a big boy.”  
“If I left it to him he’d be wearing jeans and a band T-shirt to the party.”  
“I’ll bet you clean up pretty good, Doctor House,” Hilary cooed at him.  
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” he told her. “Is there breakfast?”  
“I’ll make you one of my amazing omelettes,” Hilary offered and got up. Cameron shrugged and poured them some more coffee.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Regina for another creative nickname for Greyson. It’s hidden somewhere in this chapter. Happy hunting!

The sun shone and the sky was blue without a cloud in sight. House and Cameron lounged by the pool side by side on deck chairs, a single table between them. House wore long blue and grey swimming trunks and Cameron wore a brightly colored bikini. Her hair was twisted up in a messy knot and she wore sunglasses. Bennings came around with a silver tray. “Something to drink for you, Doctor House?”  
“An ice cold beer would be great, Jeeves.”  
Bennings smiled. “Of course. And for you, Miss?”  
“I’ll have the same.”  
“I could definitely get used to this,” House sighed happily as he closed his eyes and leaned back.  
“We can come back anytime you want.”  
“I don’t think Bitty would like that very much,” House sighed dramatically. “I fear she sees me as a bad influence on you.”  
Cameron laughed. “If I want to come back, I can bring anyone I want.” She turned her head and smiled sweetly at him. “Even a bad influence like you.”  
Suddenly her smile faded. “Oh, shit,” she muttered. “Is there no escaping that asshole?”  
House shaded his eyes and saw Greyson approaching.  
“Please tell me I’m hallucinating,” he whispered. “Because I see Greystocking coming our way in a banana hammock.”  
“You’re not and he is,” Cameron groaned closing her eyes.  
“Nice Speedo,” House called out. “Did I miss the return of the seventies? Or is this your way of letting us know you’re out and proud?”  
Greyson ignored him and dove into the pool. He made a show of swimming the entire length of the Olympic size pool thirty times. While he swam, Bennings returned with two bottles of ice cold beer on the silver tray. He placed them on the table between House and Cameron.  
“Will that be all?” he asked.  
“Got pool toys?” House joked with a grin. “You know, like a radio or a toaster?”  
Bennings tucked the tray under his arm. “I doubt it would do much damage, Doctor. He would require a heart.” With that, he walked back to the house.  
“I like Jeeves. Can we take him home with us?” House asked.  
“I think Dad would miss him too much. Bennings is his valet.”  
“Swanky.”  
Greyson pulled himself out of the pool and came to stand over Cameron. She grimaced when he shook his head and pool water splashed on her.  
“He’s just like a dog,” House remarked. “Maybe we can teach him to fetch. In traffic.”  
“Can you swim, Greg?” Greyson sneered.  
“Yes, I can, Greysonofabitch.”  
“What do you want, Greyson?” Cameron asked in exasperation.  
He held out his hand. “Come swim with me.”  
“No.”  
“Greg just said he can swim. We can have a contest. I’ll even give him a head start. Since he’s crippled.”  
“You’re on,” House said. “And I don’t need a head start.”  
“Greg…” Cameron said.  
He looked at her and shook his head slightly. Looking at Greyson, he nodded toward the pool. “Let’s go, Banana Hammock.”  
Greyson smiled in triumph at Cameron and followed House to the deep end of the pool. Cameron sat up and slid to the end of her lounger when they dove in. House was taller and leaner than Greyson but she wasn’t sure if he could beat Greyson. He needed both legs to achieve speed. She smiled slightly when House reached the end of the pool turned smoothly and kept swimming. He passed Greyson in the middle of the pool. She stood up when Greyson flipped over and swam after House. She stood on the edge of the pool when Greyson grabbed House’s foot and tried to pull him under the water. She saw the snarl on House’s face when he turned on his back and pulled Greyson under. She opened her mouth to scream for help when House resurfaced. The water churned around him and Cameron could just make out Grayson’s form flailing beneath the surface. Then House released him and swam for the ladder. He began to climb slowly out of the pool when Greyson grabbed his right thigh, digging his fingers into the damaged muscle. House shouted in pain but hung on to the ladder. Cameron dove in, grabbed Greyson, and pulled him underwater. They struggled then Cameron got close enough and grabbed his nuts. She pulled and twisted them at the same time. Greyson clawed at her trying to free himself but she pulled him to the surface by his balls. When he surfaced, he screamed in pain. Cameron released him and swam to the side. She pulled herself up and ran to House. He lay curled on the edge of the pool. She screamed for Bennings who came running.  
“Go to my room and get my overnight bag,” she ordered.  
Bennings ran back to the house and she turned her attention to Greyson, who was still writhing in pain on the wet cement. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she yelled at him. “Why did you have to do that? So he beat you. So what? How demented are you to retaliate in such a childish manner! You could’ve really hurt him!”  
Cameron lifted House’s head and rested it in her lap. He panted with pain. She reached down and gently massaged the muscles around his scar. Looking up, she saw Bennings running toward them with her overnight bag.   
“There’s a syringe and a bottle marked morphine. Give them to me,” she commanded.  
Bennings handed her a syringe and the small bottle. She quickly loaded a dose and injected House.  
“Help me get him to his room,” she told Bennings.  
Together they half carried House across the lawn.  
Behind them, Greyson called out, “What about me?”  
They ignored him and he was left to roll around in pain alone.

An hour later, House lay in bed while Cameron used massage oil on his leg. Her fingers dissolved the remainder of the pain and he sighed.  
“I can’t believe he did that,” she fumed.  
“I can.”  
She looked at him in surprise.  
“He’s a narcissist. He has to be the best even if it means hurting the other person.”  
Cameron’s brow furrowed. “Am I a narcissist because I nearly twisted his balls off?”  
House laughed. “No. I do have a new respect for you, though. He may have thought he had blue balls before but now he actually might.”  
“He just made me so angry.”  
“I know. I’m just sorry I was in too much pain to enjoy it,”  
The door to his room flew open and Bitty stormed in. “What on earth possessed you to attack Greyson like that, Doctor?” she demanded.  
House looked at her in confusion.  
“Greg didn’t grab his balls and twist them. I did,” Cameron told her.   
“Allison! Language!”  
“Mother! Get out!” Cameron demanded.  
“Your father will hear about this, young lady. Bennings will pack for….him,” she said jerking her chin in House’s direction.  
“No, he won’t. Greg isn’t going anywhere. If anyone should leave, it’s Greyson,” Cameron said coldly. “Now leave. Greg needs to rest after Greyson attacked him.”  
Tears welled up in Bitty’s eyes. “Where did I go wrong with you?”  
“Everywhere in every way,” Cameron told her. “No run along and get an ice pack for Greyson’s balls.” She got up, nudged her mother out of the room and then slammed the door shut.  
“I like your family,” House said with mock sincerity. “They’re nice.”  
Cameron leaned back against the door and laughed. She came back to the bed, sat down and poured more oil on her hands.   
“Where did you learn to swim like that?” she asked as she resumed massaging his leg.  
“I was on the swim team in high school and swimming was the only part of my rehab I kept up with.”  
“I thought you played lacrosse in high school?”  
He looked at her with narrowed eyes. “How did you know about that?”  
“I have my sources,” she smiled.  
“Meaning Wilson told you.”  
She shrugged.  
“What sports did you play at that fancy prep school of yours?” he asked.  
Cameron shrugged and concentrated on his leg.  
“Payment,” he said succinctly.  
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. But you can’t ever use it against me. That’s a rule.”  
“Yeah, yeah. Spill.”  
“I was a cheerleader. I was also on the track team,” she said then paused. She muttered something and House tilted his head,  
“I didn’t quite catch that last one,” he said.  
“I said I was also Homecoming Queen.”  
“Did you wear a sash and a tiara?” House snickered.  
“Yes, and I wore a cape. Happy?”  
“Oh, very, I’m putting this in my special journal.”  
“Oh, stop.”  
“Was Greyballs the Homecoming King?” he asked.  
Cameron smiled. “No. A very, very sweet boy named Chris Gibbie was. Greyson demanded a recount.”  
“How very Republican of him. Was there a recount?”  
Cameron shook her head. “No. No one liked Greyson. Not then and not now.”  
“I’m so shocked,” House said with wide eyes. “He’s been so friendly to me. Look at all the attention he lavishes on me.”  
“You are incorrigible.”  
House leaned back and smiled. “Maybe, but you love me anyway.”  
Cameron’s hands stilled on his leg and he slowly lifted his head. Their eyes met and something passed between them. He held his breath as she looked at him. She shook her head slightly and stood up. Slowly he released his breath.   
“I should go change,” she told him. “I’ll come back to check on you later. If you need anything just buzz for Bennings or one of the maids.”  
He nodded and she practically ran from the room.  
Once she was gone, House groaned and fell back against the pillows, throwing his arm across his eyes. What had he done?   
After a nap, he felt more refreshed but the oil on his leg felt sticky so he decided to take a hot bath in the jacuzzi tub. He sank down in the water and leaned back letting the hot water soothe his leg. The morphine Cameron gave him earlier was losing its edge so he reached for his Vicodin. The door swung open and Hilary sauntered in. House popped two pills in his mouth and swallowed watching her closely. She wore a sheer bright pink beach cover up over a tiny pink bikini and black stiletto heels. House suppressed a grin. She was very much tiger on the prowl and it amused him.   
“What brings you down this way?” he asked.  
She sank down on the edge of the tub and trailed her fingers in the water. “I heard you got a boo boo,” she winked. “I came to see if you wanted me to kiss it and make it all better.”  
House looked at her in shock. “Does that shit really work on men?”  
She jerked her hand out of the water and stood up.   
“Wait,” he said. “If you want to talk, just talk. Just don’t say boo boo again. I’d hate to hurl all over you.”  
She stared at him defiantly and then deflated like a balloon. Kicking off her shoes, she sat down next to the tub and began to rub her feet.  
“Tell me something,” he said leaning back and closing his eyes. “Why wear shoes that hurt your feet?”  
“They’re pretty and they make my legs look good.”  
“Your sister doesn’t wear shoes like that and she has the best legs I’ve ever seen.”  
Hilary sighed. “I know. Everyone always likes her better.”  
“Maybe if you weren’t so desperate and slutty people would like you, too.”  
“Rude!” she laughed and splashed water in his face.  
He smiled. “Why are you so desperate and slutty anyway?”  
“I don’t know. Mom was always so strict and I wanted so much to be liked. Being slutty got me attention.”  
“The wrong kind.”  
“Yeah.”  
They sat silently for a few minutes.  
“How did you meet your husband?” House finally asked.  
“A fundraiser. We were raising money to send care packages to the troops and he was there with the members of his platoon. He was the smartest, funniest man I ever met. And he saw right through me and called me on all my shit. No one ever did that before.”  
“Allison does that to me. I can’t get away with anything around her. She’s my moral compass.”  
“Yeah, that’s how Rick was. He always did the right thing. I hated him at first because I couldn’t seduce him. He told me I was too good for that. Then I fell in love with him because he wouldn’t let me seduce him.”  
“Your sister is annoyingly ethical, too,” House commented. “She keeps me in my place.”  
“She is good at that.”  
“So, big wedding with all the frills?” he asked.  
Hilary laughed. “No. Mom refused to have anything to do with the wedding or Rick. So, we got married in the garden right under Mom’s bedroom window. Just me, Rick, Dad, GG and Bennings. Bennings performed the ceremony.”  
“A man of endless talents,” House laughed.  
“I wore GG’s wedding dress,” Hilary continued dreamily. “I carried a bouquet of pink tea roses and GG gave me Papa’s wedding ring for Rick to wear.” She suddenly got quiet and House looked at her.  
“Did you get it back?” he asked softly.  
Tears slid down her cheeks and she wiped them away. “No. There was nothing left. He threw himself on a suicide bomber. Saved a lot of people. But that was Rick. I miss him every single moment of every single day. The pain never goes away.”  
“I’m sorry,” House told her softly and sincerely.  
She wiped her eyes and smiled. “Thanks. I will always have my memories of him. I also have his letters and videos.”  
“Why act the way you do?”  
Looking up at him, she shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because it’s easy and familiar.”  
House looked at her and frowned. “Is that the best way to honor his memory?”  
All the color drained from her face and she stared at him. “No,” she whispered. “No, it isn’t.”  
“From what little you’ve told me about him, I think he’d be disappointed in you.”  
She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. House turned off the jets and got out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Sitting on the edge of the tub, he waited until she stopped crying.  
“Sorry, I’m not known for being tactful,” he told her.  
“No, you’re right. I’m not honoring him,” she sniffed. House handed her a wash cloth and she wiped her face removing most of her makeup in the process.   
“You know, you look a lot better without all that shit on your face,” he remarked. “Allison doesn’t need much makeup. She’s the most beautiful woman I know.”  
Hilary smiled at him. “You really like her, don’t you?”  
He shrugged and looked away. “She’s hot and she’s smart. What’s not to like?”  
She tossed the washcloth in his lap. “Now who’s talking shit?” she laughed.  
“Am I interrupting?” Cameron asked from the doorway. She wore skinny jeans, an orange silk tank and strappy brown sandals. Her hair was in a high ponytail and she wore tiny gold hoop earrings.  
They turned to look at her. House shrugged. “Not really,” he said. “Hilary tried to seduce me but I gave her Wilson’s number. She’s more his type,”  
Hilary laughed and stood up, She picked up her shoes and walked over to Cameron. “He’s a good guy. Tactless and rude but good,” she told her sister and left.  
Cameron leaned in the doorway and looked at him with mischief shining in her eyes. “You were nice to her.”  
“Shut up. I was not.”  
She smiled widely. “You were so.”  
“Did you need something?” he asked in exasperation.  
“We’re having dinner on the back patio. Mom has a migraine and Greyson is...well, indisposed.”  
“Does this mean I can wear jeans and a t-shirt?” he asked hopefully.  
“Yes.”  
“Good. Now leave so I can finish my beauty regimen.”   
Cameron snorted and closed the door. “Brush your hair!” she shouted as she left.


	8. Chapter 8

House moved to stand in front of the mirror. He smirked as he ruffled his thinning hair. It wasn’t too bad yet, but he figured in another few years he’d definitely need to start wearing hats. He found a T-shirt, pair of jeans and his Nikes, got dressed and went out onto the back patio where Mundell had a huge stainless steel BBQ grill, and was tossing steaks and burgers onto it.  
“There’s beer in the bar fridge over there, House,” he told him. “Help yourself.”  
“Great.”  
Cameron noticed he was leaning heavily on his cane more than usual and he picked the chair across from her, collapsing in it as he cracked open the can of beer.  
“How’s your leg?”  
“It’s been better.”  
Hilary brought out the fixings and condiments for the burgers and House cringed when he saw the pickles.  
“What’s wrong?”   
“He doesn’t like pickles,” Cameron said with a smirk. “Says they’re of the devil.”  
“Oh, well that’s okay,” Hilary said as she sat down next to him. “I’ll eat your pickle.”  
House spat out his beer and Hilary, realizing what she just said, merely smiled and looked embarrassed.  
Cameron laughed and tossed a handful of napkins toward House so he could wipe off the table.  
“How about going down to the wine cellar and grabbing a couple of bottles to go with dinner, Princess?” Mundell asked.  
“Sure.”  
Once she was gone, House got up. “I’ll be right back.” Knowing Cameron opted for the stairs, he took the elevator down to the lower level.  
When she heard the doors close behind her, she whirled around to see House standing there, leaning against them.  
“You’re avoiding me. Why?” he asked her.   
“No, I’m not.”  
He nodded. “Right, then would you mind explaining what I said or did to make you practically run from my room today?”  
“I…”  
He stepped closer. “If we can’t be honest with each other, it’s never going to work. I thought you wanted it to work.”  
“I do, it’s just…”  
“What? Talk to me, Cameron.”  
“It was when you said I loved you. You were right. I guess I just wasn’t ready to admit it.”  
He grinned and pointed at her. “I knew it! I knew you still had feelings for me. Love, lust, infatuation, adoration...it doesn’t matter. You can call it whatever you want, but feelings are feelings.”  
Greyson heard voices when he emerged from the sauna and quietly made his way closer to the wine cellar. From where he stood, he could see them, and make out what they were saying, even with the doors closed.  
“I haven’t felt this way about anyone since Andrew, but it was different with him.”  
“Because he was dying?”  
Cameron leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. “I did love him, just not the same way. And I still miss him,” she sniffed.  
House went over to her and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck when his lips found hers in a hard, feverish kiss. His hands slid down her sides and squeezed her ass, causing her to gasp and wrap one leg around his waist. He pressed his body against hers, their pelvises ground against each other as his kisses moved down her neck, devouring it. He slipped a hand inside her top to feel her breast encased in a soft lace bra.  
“House…” she sighed as his thumb teased her nipple through the lace.  
His hand buried in her hair, grabbed a fistful and tugged her head back to give him access to her throat. His tongue slid over the sensitive cord of her neck and up to her ear, grazing it with his teeth, his whiskers scratching her skin as he left his mark.  
It was hot, sexy and primal as hell. Her head was full with thoughts that he could have taken her right there and she would have allowed it. Without question. Her hands slipped underneath his T-shirt to rake her nails over his chest, causing him to growl softly in her ear as she kissed the base of his throat.  
Greyson groaned softly as he watched them, and in his haste, bumped against the grandfather clock in the hallway.  
Cameron heard the noise and gently pushed House back. Her lips and face were pink from whisker burn. “Did you hear that?”  
“Yeah. Grab some wine and let’s get out of here.”  
Greyson made sure he was out of sight when they left. He went to his room and booted up his laptop. With what he heard, he had some research to do. His head was spinning with the possibilities. He was going to expose both of them for the liars they were. House would be ostracized by the family and cast out and Allison would be pressured to be with him. Eventually she’d buckle. He knew her well enough. Greg House was no match for him in wealth or community standing. And when Allison was forced to choose between an old, misanthropic cripple and Greyson’s perfection, how could perfection not win? He just had to find a way to get rid of Greg so he could convince Allison what a big mistake she was making. That would take some serious planning. He’d enlist Hilary to help him with that.  
***  
House tossed and turned but it was no use. Sleep wasn’t in the cards. At least not for the time being. He got up and limped out into the hall. Everyone had turned in for the night. Even those who were getting the ballroom ready for the party had all left. The shiny black grand piano sat in the corner of the room, top propped open. It was as if it beckoned him to be played. Figuring it couldn’t hurt, as everyone else’s rooms were upstairs, nobody would hear him play just a couple of songs. He went to the library, helped himself to a glass of Scotch and took it with him to the ballroom, leaving the door open just a little.   
The weather had changed throughout the evening and had gotten quite humid. He could almost smell the electricity in the air as he opened some of the windows, since it was quite stuffy. Taking a long sip of the Scotch, he let it slide down his throat, warming him up all over as he sat down on the bench and let his fingers touch the pristine white ivory keys. It was perfectly in tune and had very nice range. He could almost see himself playing at the party. He didn’t know what he’d play, but figured one couldn’t go wrong with jazz or classical.  
Remembering something Cameron said made him settle in and start playing the theme from the movie Pearl Harbor. He didn’t need the sheet music. He could hear it in his head so he just went with it. It was pretty rusty the first time so he started over again.  
Cameron lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling. She wondered if House would try to sneak into her room like Greyson did the night before. She thought back to their talk in the wine cellar and what happened after that. Kissing him seemed like the right thing to do, so she did it. She touched her neck where he kissed and nibbled, almost able to feel where his teeth nipped at her skin. Before she went to bed she noticed he left a tiny mark just below her ear but she didn’t care. She actually hoped Greyson saw it. While she would be furious if Chase did that, somehow she didn’t mind that House had. Her other hand slid up over her breast and she closed her eyes, imagining it was House’s hand.  
The love theme from Pearl Harbor played in her head as she thought of House making love to her.   
But it wasn’t her imagination. She opened her eyes and sat up, listening carefully. The storm outside was close, and lightning lit up the room when it flashed and thunder rumbled in its wake. She grabbed her robe and quietly slipped out of her room and padded down the stairs. The music got louder as she got closer to the ballroom and when she poked her head around the door, she saw House sitting at the piano.  
His long fingers moved effortlessly over the keys and his eyes were closed as he let the music pour out of him. She stood and watched, mesmerized by him. She’d never heard him play before. At least, not this kind of music. Was he playing that song for her? She wanted to believe that. Who else would he play it for? She told him just the other day that she liked it. It was flawless and she stood there, watching and listening with her eyes closed, until he was finished. She heard him pick up the glass of Scotch and take another sip.  
“That was...amazing,” she whispered as she approached him. He moved over on the bench so she could sit next to him.   
He looked at her. “Did I wake you?”  
“No, I couldn’t sleep. I guess you couldn’t either.”  
House shook his head. “It’s too warm.”  
She placed her fingers on the keys and began to play a light tune, one half of a duet that House was all too familiar with, having played it with his mom many times. He took over the other part and it was as if they’d played together many times before.  
“That was nice,” she smiled at him. “Is there anything you can’t play?”  
He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed and began to play Claire de Lune.  
Cameron smiled. “You play that and GG might fall in love with you.”  
House chuckled. “GG is a cougar.”  
A long bolt of fork lightning lit up the sky and a loud crack of thunder made Cameron wince.  
“Don’t like storms?” he asked her.  
“Not loud ones.”  
House emptied his glass and got up. “Come on, before we wake up anyone else.”  
She didn’t know what was going to happen next but she followed him across the hall into his room.  
“Aren’t we rushing things a little?” she asked as he closed and locked the door and leaned against it, giving her a predatory look. It made her whole body quiver.  
“I don’t think so but if you want to leave, go ahead,” he said with a casual shrug.   
She placed her hands on his chest as she looked up at him. “I really want to kiss you again. But I’m afraid that once I start kissing you, I won’t be able to stop.”  
He smirked. “I fail to see a problem here.”  
“The problem is that you’re too good at it,” she said with a shy smile.  
His hands slid around her waist, pulling her closer. “Again, I fail to see a problem with that,” he said before he leaned over and gave her a soft, gentle kiss, brushing his lips against hers. She seemed to melt in his arms, and her hands slid up and around his neck as she leaned against him.   
“Do you really wanna leave?” he asked her.   
She cocked her head to one side. “It seems we’ve had this conversation before.”  
“Different circumstances. You’re not going to stick me with a needle, this time I hope.”  
Cameron laughed and shook her head. “Where would I hide one?”   
He slid his hands down over the satin fabric of her robe and reached into the pockets only to find them empty. “I like this,” he whispered as he untied the knot that kept the robe closed and slid his hands up under her satin tank top to feel her warm skin.  
“Mhm,” she murmured as she rested her cheek against his chest and just let him hold her. He smelled good. A mixture of whatever body wash he used, the cigar he smoked earlier and something else that was uniquely him and that she was becoming addicted to. “What else do you like?”  
“I like the smell of your hair, how soft your skin is. I like that you’re not wearing a bra right now.”  
She giggled. “It’s not very comfortable sleeping in one.”  
“Sleeping naked is always prefered,” he grinned as he let his hands continue to explore.   
His leg started to twinge, warning him to take it easy so he took her hand and pulled her toward the large bed in the corner of the room.   
“Maybe I should go,” she said, but she looked torn.  
He slid his hands up and down her back as he kissed her neck, knowing how much she liked it, but also to freshen up the love bite he’d given her earlier. “It’s up to you. I’m not going to make you stay.”  
“I want to stay, House. It’s just too soon for this.”  
He nodded and released her. “So what’s the plan tomorrow?”  
“Well, I’ll be helping with preparations for the party but you can do whatever you want. Guests will be arriving around six so you’re pretty much on your own until then. Or you could help me,” she smiled sweetly at him.  
“Depends on what you need me to do. If they need someone to test the food, I’m your guy.”  
“Your stomach is a bottomless pit,” she giggled. Then she gave him one more quick kiss. “Thanks, House. G’night.”  
“Gnight,” he said and watched her quietly slip out of the room. He glanced down at the obvious tent in his pajama pants and sighed. “Down, boy.”


	9. Chapter 9

Greyson stood in the shadows at the end of the hall. He watched Allison leave House’s bedroom. His lip curled when he saw her slip the thin strap of her camisole back on to her shoulder. Her hair was tousled and her skin was flushed. One way or another, he had to get rid of that crippled old goat. For the life of him, he just could not understand what Allison saw in that man. Greyson was younger, handsomer and much wealthier. He also knew he was an excellent lover. All the women he slept with always told him that. He was better than House in all the ways that mattered.   
Once he was certain Allison was gone, he walked down the hallway and stood at the bottom of the stairs. He needed drugs; something to knock House out so Greyson could get rid of him. Suddenly he remembered a doctor gave Bitty pills to help her sleep. All he had to do was get some and dose House with them. He raced up the stairs, the carpeting muting the sound of his feet. He carefully opened Bitty’s bedroom door. He knew the layout of her room very well since he usually slept with her when he visited. For him, it was a way to keep her in line so she did what he wanted. Silently, he made his way to her bathroom, closed the door and flipped on the light. He opened drawers until he found one filled with pill bottles. He pulled each one out reading the label carefully until he found the one he wanted. Slipping it into his pocket, he turned off the light and crept out of Bitty’s room. Maybe once he got rid of House, he would come back and fuck her. He could certainly use the release.  
He walked up to House’s bedroom door and knocked loudly. He shifted impatiently as he waited for House to open the door. Finally, it swung open, and House looked at him. He started to slam the door but Greyson put his hand on it and pushed back. House scowled at him.  
“What?” he growled.  
“I came to apologize for hurting you. It was childish and I am very sorry,” Greyson said with false sincerity.  
“Fine,” House responded curtly and tried to close the door.  
“Have a drink with me,” Greyson invited. “I know it would make Allison happy if we made up.”  
House regarded him suspiciously. Then he shrugged. “Why not?”  
Greyson stepped back and House stepped out into the hallway.  
“Mundell keeps all the best liquor down in the wine cellar,” Greyson told him as he began to walk toward the elevator. “I’m in the mood for a beer. He has a few bottles of Sam Adams’ Utopius. It’s excellent. Mundell also has a little room set up in the back with comfortable chairs.”  
The elevator opened and they stepped in. Seconds later the doors slid open to reveal the wine cellar.   
“Did Allison bring you down here yet”? Greyson asked. He knew she had but he didn’t want House to know that.  
“Yeah,” House said following Greyson to the back of the large room.  
Greyson opened a stainless steel refrigerator and pulled out a gold bottle. He grabbed two glasses from a side table and indicated the door to his right.  
“Go on in,” he said with a smile. “I’ll pour us a couple glasses and be right there.”  
Once House was in the other room, Greyson opened the bottle, poured half into one glass and half into the other. He pulled the pill bottle from his pocket and opened it. He shook four capsules into his hand. Carefully, he pulled each one apart, shook the contents into one of the glasses and then swirled the liquid so the powder would dissolve. Then he carried the glasses into the room and handed the one with the sleeping pills in it to House. He sat down and watched House drain the glass in one swallow.  
“We good?” he asked as he set the glass down on the table beside him.   
“Oh, stay and talk,” Greyson smiled. “I’d like to get to know the man who stole little Kitten’s heart.”  
House shook his head. “She hates to be called Kitten,” he slurred.  
Greyson leaned forward and watched him. House forced his eyes open and licked his lips. Then his head fell back against the chair as he passed out.  
“Now it’s time to get rid of your things,” Greyson grinned as he got up. He walked out, shut the door and locked it. No one would think to look for him down here. Greyson laughed and walked out of the wine cellar. He took the elevator back to the main floor. When the doors opened, he saw Bennings knocking on House’s bedroom door. He looked over his shoulder at Greyson and raised an eyebrow. Greyson ignored him and walked down the hallway to the library. When he opened the door, he saw Bitty sitting on one of the couches staring off into space. She turned and smiled when she saw him.  
“Oh, good, it’s you,” she purred. “Mommy needs a good fuck.”  
Greyson suppressed a groan and smiled at her. “My room or yours?”  
“Mine,” she told him as she sauntered toward him. She took his hand and led him upstairs.  
He followed her into her bedroom and locked the door. Leaning back against it, he watched as she slowly removed her dress. Beneath it she wore a lacy, black silk push up bra, a matching garter belt, and sheer black stockings. Thankfully she was still slender and toned. He smirked when he saw she wasn’t wearing panties. Pushing away from the door, he advanced on her, removing his clothes as he went.  
“You got a Brazilian,” he commented as he ran his hand over her smooth pussy. He slid his fingers between her folds and then licked her wetness off before kissing her.   
“I love the taste of my pussy on your tongue,” she whispered against his mouth.  
“No talking,” he told her as he removed her bra.   
She was built like Allison so it was easy for him to close his eyes and imagine it was her in arms instead of Bitty. He threw her on the bed.  
“Hands and knees,” he commanded.  
She giggled as she got into position, spreading her legs wide. He knelt on the bed behind her, rammed his cock into her and began to pump. He held onto one hip and rubbed her clit. Once she came, he thought of Allison calling out his name as she writhed beneath him. His orgasm was explosive and he collapsed on Bitty, pinning her to the bed. She rolled out from under him and lay panting beside him. Once his breathing returned to normal, he got up, dressed and left. He quietly walked to his room and took a shower. He pulled on silk boxer shorts and sat down at the desk. Opening the laptop, he turned it on. While he waited for it to start, he formulated his plan. The computer chimed and he clicked on the icon for the internet connection and began a search. As he worked, he smiled. He jotted down phone numbers and pulled a disc out of one of the desk drawers. After he copied several files to it, he sat back. He looked back at the clock on the bedside table. It was nearly four in the morning. He got up, grabbed his robe and slippers and went down to House’s room. The house was dark and silent. He opened the door to House’s room, slipped in and closed the door. Quickly, he gathered up all House’s belongings and started to stuff them in his suitcases. He saw a small pad in one of the cases and pulled it out. It was a prescription pad. Greyson pulled a sheet off and scribbled a note on it. Folding it, he left it on the desk. He finished packing up House’s things and carried the cases out to the stables. He hid them in the tack room and then went back inside the house. He climbed the stairs silently and went into his room. Kicking of his slippers, he untied his robe, slipped out of it and crawled into bed. He would make the phone calls later in the morning while everyone else was busy preparing for the party. He set the alarm and went to sleep.   
***  
The estate was busy with people everywhere. Caterers set up tables, electricians doing the wiring outside so music could be heard on the deck, and a constant parade of delivery trucks bringing food, drinks, linens, and decorations.  
Cameron was in the middle of it all, helping in the kitchen and directing the delivery men on where to put the endless bouquets of flowers.  
By the time noon rolled around, it suddenly occurred to her that House wasn’t there causing his usual mischief. He didn’t even come down for breakfast or coffee.  
“Bennings,” she said as she caught the man by the arm as he passed her. “Have you seen Greg?”  
“No, Miss, I have not. Most unusual as he’s usually up by now, isn’t he?”  
“Yeah. If you see him, have him come and find me, would you?”  
“Of course.”  
An hour later, Bennings found Cameron outside in the yard. “It appears Doctor House has gone.”  
Cameron felt her stomach suddenly drop. “Gone?”  
“His room is empty and his clothes are nowhere to be seen. It’s very odd. There is a note for you,” he said and handed her a small paper. It was a sheet torn off House’s script pad that he always carried.  
She took it from him and unfolded it.   
_Allison,  
This isn’t going to work. I’m not in your class, so I’m leaving. See you back at the hospital.  
Gregory House_  
Now she was worried. She looked at Bennings. “Are you sure all his things are gone?”  
“Yes, Miss. I went to his room last evening to ask if he wished for his tuxedo to be pressed for the party but he didn’t answer. Although it was late so he was probably asleep and didn’t hear me.”  
“Greg isn’t a sound sleeper. This doesn’t make any sense. He wouldn’t just leave. And this note. It’s not right. He’d never…”  
She sat down on the nearest chair and tried to think. Something was very wrong. Where the hell was he? The party was due to begin in a couple of hours and she knew he was looking forward to it.  
“Are you alright, Miss?”  
“No. Something’s wrong. He wouldn’t just leave. Have you see Greyson?”  
“Here and there. I saw him last night with Doctor House, come to think of it.”  
“Thank you.” With the note in her hand, she went off to find Greyson and found him in the ballroom giving orders as usual. “Greyson, can I talk to you for a minute?”  
“Of course.” He sauntered over to her and she studied him. Yes, he looked entirely too cocky for her liking.  
“Have you seen Greg today?”  
“Nope.”  
“What about last night?”  
“Yeah, we talked last night.”  
“When?”   
He shrugged. “It was late. I think it was after you left his room.” Then he clicked his tongue. “Tsk tsk, Allison. I thought you’d at least waited until everyone was asleep before going to him. I thought you had more tact.”  
“That’s really none of your business. What did you two talk about?”  
“That’s none of your business, either.”  
“Oh fuck off, Greyson. What did he say? Did he seem upset?”  
“No. I apologized for hurting him yesterday and we made a truce, as it were. He did say that he didn’t know if he could ever give you all of this and I agreed with him. Might’ve bruised his ego a wee bit but...it’s not your fault your family has money.”  
“He’s not exactly a pauper, Greyson. And you know money doesn’t matter to me.”  
“It should. Come on, Allison. He’s way out of our class. Why embarrass yourself?”  
She held up the note. “Funny, that’s what he said.” Then she stepped closer. “If you’ve hurt him in any way, I will see to it that you suffer. As hard as it is to understand, you’re out of his league. He’s a threat to you. He stands for everything you don’t and that bothers you. You’ll never be able to compete with him. So I’ll ask you one more time. Where is he?”  
He merely shrugged. “How should I know? If he said he was leaving, then he left. I haven’t seen him since last night. This place isn’t a prison. He could come and go as he pleased. It wouldn’t be a stretch to call a taxi and leave.”  
Cameron considered Greyson’s words as she went looking for Bennings again. “I need to see the security tapes from last night. If Greg left in the middle of the night, it would show up, right?”  
“Indeed, Miss. I’ll check on that for you.”  
“Thank you.”


	10. Chapter 10

House’s head throbbed when he finally came to. At first everything was still spinning and blurred. He couldn’t make sense of what happened or where he was so he closed his eyes again until the spinning ceased.  
Some minutes later, he opened one weary eye and looked around. He was in the lounge part of the wine cellar and it was dark, save for a dim lamp in the corner. The two glasses he and Greyson used sat on the small table.   
Greyson...he thought to himself. Smarmy little prick. He dosed me! House glanced around the small room and grabbed his cane that still leaned against the wall. He tried the door but it was locked.  
Of course it is, he thought and fished in his pockets. On his keyring he kept his lock picking tools and went to work. Within seconds he unlocked the door and made his way through the wine cellar. That door was locked so he picked that lock and crossed the hall to the elevator. The doors opened and he got in. He went to straight to Greyson’s room and found him combing his hair as he admired his image in the mirror.  
House advanced on him and Greyson dropped his brush. He turned to face House.  
“How did you get out?” he asked as House loomed over him. Fear traced an icy finger down his spine. Despite his disability, House was very muscular. Greyson saw the fury burning in House’s clear blue eyes and swallowed hard.  
“You just couldn’t leave things alone, could you?” House asked in a quiet, dangerous voice. He crowded Greyson against the long dresser. He could see the fear in Greyson’s eyes and he smiled slowly. “You’re a cowardly little shit. No wonder Allison can’t stand to be around you.”  
Greyson tried to push against House but it was like trying to push a brick wall.  
“I know you got rid of my stuff,” House continued. “Did they find the note yet?”  
“How did you-”  
“Because I’m not an idiot. You think if I’m gone Allison will come cry in your arms. You really don’t know her. Where is my stuff?”  
“I’ll call security,” Greyson squeaked.  
“Try,” House said. He bent Greyson back until he lay on the top of the dresser then pressed his cane against his throat. “My stuff.”  
“Tack room.” Greyson gasped.  
House straightened and Greyson lunged for him. House turned and hit him square on the jaw. Greyson crumbled to the floor.  
“Ah, there you are, Doctor,” Bennings said from the doorway. “The party is starting. I found your belongings in the tack room of the stables. Miss Allison is very worried about you.” He ignored Greyson lying in a heap on the floor. “Your tuxedo is pressed and ready. I shall draw a bath for you.”  
“Thanks, Jeeves,” House smiled as he followed him out.  
***  
“Where’s Doctor House, dear?” GG inquired of Cameron once the party was well under way.  
She managed a slight smile. “I don’t know. I think he left.”  
GG frowned. “Well that doesn’t seem right.”  
“No, it isn’t.”  
“Is he in the habit of disappearing like this?”  
“No.” Unless he was hiding from Cuddy to avoid clinic duty, of course, she thought. “Greyson said he might’ve taken a taxi late last night but Bennings checked the security tapes and said nobody came or went. I’m worried. Where would he be?”  
“Go look for him, dear,” GG told her. “There are only so many places he could be.”  
“I wouldn’t begin to know where to start.”  
“If you’re as in tune with each other as I think you are, you’ll find him.”  
GG was right, as always. Cameron checked the lower floor first, and then decided to give his room another try. She was shocked when she found him standing in front of the mirror, tieing his black bowtie.  
“House! Where the hell were you?”  
She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a death grip.  
“I’m fine,” he assured her as he stepped back and looked at her. She wore the same red dress from the fundraiser a year ago and he still never tired of seeing her in it. “Even moreso now. I’ll explain everything, but we have to get to the party. I don’t want to piss off GG by being a no show.”  
“She’s not pissed off, she’s worried, just like I was.”  
House put his tuxedo jacket on and straightened up. “How do I look?”  
Cameron placed her hands on his chest and smiled up at him. “Amazing. Come on, let’s go.”  
They returned to the ballroom and GG’s eyes lit up when she saw Cameron with House. “Sorry I’m late, GG,” he said as he took a seat next to her. “It couldn’t be helped.”  
“It’s quite alright, Greg. I’m glad you’re here. Are you alright?”  
House looked at Cameron, who squeezed his hand. “I am now.”  
“Allison says you play the piano. Would you play for me? Just a few songs. Please?”  
House smiled at her. “Well, I never was one to say no to a beautiful woman.”  
He started with the birthday song, of course, and then moved to some lighter, happy songs while a slide show played on a projector screen.  
Greyson eventually showed up, a large bruise on his chin and when the show was over, House returned to Cameron’s side.  
“I have something I’d like to add to the lovely slideshow,” Greyson called out. He swaggered over to the laptop connected to the video projector. He pulled a disc out and waggled it for effect before inserting it into the DVD drive. Taking the remote from Hilary, he turned to face everyone.  
“GG,” he began, “your beloved Allison lied to you. In fact she lied to all of us. When she mentioned she works with the illustrious Gregory House at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, I decided to do a little detective work. Here’s what I found out.”  
Turning, he clicked the remote and Cameron’s wedding certificate flashed up on the screen.  
“She married Andrew Cameron and didn’t bother to tell any of us,” he sneered.  
Bitty gasped in horror as all the guests turned to stare at Cameron. House started to stand, but she pulled him back down.  
“Don’t,” she whispered sadly her head bowed. House sat back down and put his arm around her, pulling her close.  
“But that isn’t all!” Greyson crowed. “Oh, no! She’s a widow.”  
Andrew’s death certificate appeared next and Cameron buried her face in House’s chest. He gripped his cane and fought the urge to beat Greyson senseless with it as he felt Cameron’s tears dampen his shirt.  
“As for her boyfriend, Gregory House, he’s been arrested and he’s a drug addict. He’s also not her boyfriend. I talked to Lisa Cuddy, Eric Foreman, Robert Chase and James Wilson. They all told me that Cameron, as she’s known, has a crush on House but he isn’t interested in her. They all said he’s more interested in Lisa Cuddy.”  
“Enough!”  
Everyone turned to see GG standing, her face set in anger. “You have ruined my party. I never liked you, you preening peacock. Get out and don’t ever come back here or I’ll call the police. As for now, you are ruined, Greyson. After this little stunt of yours no respectable family will have anything to do with you. Now get out or I’ll have you thrown out.”  
“She lied!” Greyson shrieked. “Don’t you care?!”  
GG shook her head and smiled. “No, it just proves to me that Allison is more like me than she realizes.”  
Two burly men walked up to Greyson and took him by the arms. He struggled in their grasp.  
“Get him out of my sight,” GG commanded with a wave of her hand.  
Greyson sagged in their grasp and allowed them to lead him away.  
“I’ll be pressing charges,” House called after him.  
GG looked at all the guests and sighed. “I think it’s time for some more lies to be laid out.” She walked to the front of the room.  
“When I was eighteen, I married the dearest boy. His name was Sam. It was 1935, the height of The Depression. We both came from poor families and I loved him. He was always what we called “sickly” but that didn’t stop him from living his life. He died two days after our first anniversary. He just dropped dead in the field while plowing. I couldn’t go back home so I moved here and managed to get a job as a secretary for Harrison Langston. His father just made him a Vice President in the family business. I had no training but he told me he hired me because I was like a painting, something beautiful to look at. He was a bit gruff and abrasive but I fell in love with him and he eventually fell in love with me. In those days, a woman was expected to make a home for her husband and have children. Harry told me he didn’t want a housekeeper, he wanted a partner; someone who could help him. So, I did. We worked together and expanded the business. We did have a child. Our wonderful son, Mundell. So, my dear, sweet Allison, you are more like me than you knew. I didn’t tell anyone about my first husband because I felt no one would understand. Harry knew but he was more fascinated by the fact I married a man I knew was sick and would die. He once told me no one can be that good-hearted and right-minded. I suppose he was right.” She sighed and rubbed her hand across her forehead. “I’m very tired. Thank you for a lovely party but I think it’s time to end the evening.”


	11. Chapter 11

After everyone left, the family gathered in the library. Bitty sat on the couch crying into her silk and lace handkerchief. Mundell paced in front of the fireplace and Hilary sat in one of the overstuffed chairs staring at Cameron and House. They sat on the couch across from Bitty. GG sat next to Cameron and held her hand.  
“I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t tell us,” she said.  
“Oh, how could you shame us like this, Allison?” her mother wailed. “I’ll never be able to show my face again!”  
“Oh, do shut up, Millicent,” GG sighed. “You’re the reason your daughters hide things from us. I never said anything because they are your children but your ridiculous rules have nearly ruined both of them.”  
“She’s right,” Mundell said. “I let you raise them because I was too busy with the company. You swore you were ruined when Hilary married a ‘common soldier’. But she loved him and she’s been spiralling since his death. She rebelled against your rules by sleeping with anyone who would have her. I paid for three abortions, Millicent. Three. All because Hilary couldn’t stand the restrictions you put on her. That’s all on you, Millicent.”  
He looked at Hilary. “I’m sorry, Bunny.”  
“No, Daddy, she needs to know. They all do,” she said softly. Tears rolled down her cheeks.  
Mundell turned to Cameron. “I would have understood and supported you, Princess. All I ever wanted was your happiness.” He looked at House. “How did she get you to come and pretend to be her boyfriend?”  
“She asked,” House said simply. “She was going to give me her inheritance but I told her I wanted information about her. I love her. I’ve loved her since she walked into my office to apply for a position on my team. I was just afraid I’d ruin her if we had a romantic relationship. For the record, I’m not interested in anything beyond annoying Cuddy and making her miserable.”  
Mundell came, knelt in front of Cameron and looked into her eyes. “I hope you’ll tell me about Andrew one day, Princess. I’m sure because you loved him he was a wonderful man.”  
Cameron nodded. “He was. I miss him every day.”  
Mundell stood and looked at House. He extended his hand and House shook it. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for her. I’m glad to know she has someone like you who loves her so much.”  
“NO!” Bitty screamed. “I will not allow this! Allison and Hilary LIED to us, Mundell! They’ve ruined us!”  
Mundell turned to face his wife. “I want a divorce. I want you out of my house now. You never loved me, did you? I was nothing more than a rung on your social ladder.”  
“This is my house-” Bitty began.  
“No, this is not your house! Now get out or I will rain fire down on you!” GG growled. “I never liked you but you got pregnant and so I encouraged Mundell to marry you. I should have paid you off as Harry suggested. He’was probably correct when he said the baby wasn’t even Mundell’s.”  
Bitty stood and looked at them all with haughty disdain. With a toss of her head, she left the room.  
“She’ll try to take everything from you, Daddy,” Hilary said.  
“She can try but I know too much about Milly Jones,” GG smiled. “She was an escort when she met your father. She’s also been having ‘intimate relations’ with Greyson.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Maybe she’ll marry him. They deserve each other.”  
“Mother! Why didn’t you tell me?” Mundell gasped.  
“I tried to. You wouldn’t listen. Then she told you she was pregnant. As for Greyson, well, it wasn’t my place and you haven’t slept with her in years.”  
“And she had the nerve to tell us not to have ‘intimate relations’ with a man before marriage,” Hilary scoffed. She looked over at Allison. “Our mother was a hooker,” she giggled.  
“A hooker who slept with Greyson,” Cameron giggled and then shuddered.   
“We had a saying when I was a girl,” GG remarked. “Her taste is in her mouth.”  
“How could I have been so blind?” Mundell sighed as he sank down on the other couch. “She lied about everything.”  
“You loved her,” GG said gently. “Love makes us do all sorts of silly things.” She leaned forward and looked at House. “Wouldn’t you agree, House?”  
“I would, GG.”  
GG smiled at him and stood up. “Well, I am going to bed. That was quite a party and I’m tired.”  
She kissed each of them and slowly left the room.  
“I’m going to bed, too,” Hilary said and blew a kiss. She stood and looked at Cameron. “Talk tomorrow?”  
Cameron nodded.  
Once Hilary left, Mundell looked at the couple sitting on the couch. “I hope you’ll come home more often, Princess, and bring House.” He smiled and left, closing the door behind him.  
Cameron stood up and held out her hand to House. “Bed?”  
House grabbed his cane, stood and took her hand. “Bed. But not to sleep. I think we should engage in some ‘intimate relations’.”  
A blush crept up on her cheeks that almost matched her dress and he grinned, running his hand along the soft fabric. “You wore this on purpose…”  
“I wanted to see that look on your face again.”  
They got up and headed out of the room. “You have no idea how hard it was not to kick Chase and Foreman out of the room and take you right there on the conference table.”  
“Wearing the dress?” she laughed.  
“I would’ve worked around it,” he said as they stepped into the elevator.  
“Best two grand I ever spent,” she said softly as the door closed.  
House was shocked that anyone would spend that much on a dress. “Let’s see the shoes.”  
She lifted the hem of her dress to show off a pair of deep red pumps with a four inch heel and he felt his pants get tighter. “Keep em on. They’re hot.”  
The elevator doors opened and they went to her room, locking the door behind them. “I wish we had a piano in here,” she said as she went over to the stereo.  
“We could’ve stayed downstairs, but I don’t like an audience.”  
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Neither do I.”  
She swayed back and forth to the music as she smiled at him. With her heels on she was almost as tall as he was. “Don’t like to dance?”  
“Bum leg. Makes it kind of difficult to get down with my bad self.”  
“All you have to do is move like this,” she said, still swaying her hips.  
“Are you trying to seduce me, Cameron?”  
“I certainly hope so.”  
He smirked but gave in and started to way with her, wrapping his arm around her waist, feeling the soft fabric of her dress under his fingertips as he took hold of her other hand.  
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a Dirty Dancing flashback,” he muttered, making her giggle once again.  
“You’re way hotter than Patrick Swayze ever was.”  
“Did you have a crush on him, too?”  
“Absolutely.”  
“Figures.”  
“Jealous, House?”  
“Of a guy with two good legs? No, not at all,” he said with a roll of his eyes.  
“Hey,” she said, sternly. She stopped dancing and glared at him. “Don’t do this. You think I care that you can’t do the things other men can? Because I don’t. If I wanted a younger guy with two working legs I would be with Chase. Not you.”  
“But…”  
Cameron placed her hands on his face, her fingers stroking his cheek. “No more self-deprecating comments. I won’t tolerate it. You’re an amazing man with many talents and a brilliant mind. You’re the one I want to be with. And if I have to tell you that every day until you believe it then I will.”  
“Compassionate Cameron,” he said softly, making her smile.  
“You’re the only person I’ve allowed to call me that. Chase did once, and I almost punched him in the face.”  
House laughed. “I’d pay to see that action.”  
“Maybe one day you will. In the meantime, I think it’s time for bed. But not to sleep, as you said.”  
“Music to my ears,” he said as they walked over to the bed.   
“GG was thrilled that you played for her…”  
She gasped when he grabbed her hand and pulled her against him and surrendered herself to his deep kisses, his tongue and his hands which unzipped her dress at the back. She stepped out of it and he took in the sight of her. A strapless lace black bra and matching panties completed the package and he just stood there speechless as he stared at her.  
“I take it you approve?” she asked as she began to unbutton his shirt until it hung open and she slid her hands over his chest. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since I saw you bare chested in the shower.”  
“You can touch anything you want,” he said, his voice husky as his hands slid down over her lace clad ass and gave a slight squeeze. “Mmm...you’re amazing…”  
“So are you,” she said and leaned in for a kiss, which he gave and pulled her with him onto the bed.  
They kissed and touched each other, exploring with their hands and their mouths as the rest of their clothing ended up on the floor and they were naked under the covers.  
She smiled at him in the dark, and he could just make out her features as he gently touched her face and kissed her.  
“I never thought in a million years that I’d ever be here,” he said, his voice quiet.  
“That makes two of us. And yet, here we are. The question is, now that you’ve got me here, what are you going to do with me?”  
“No, the question is what aren’t I going to do with you?” he chuckled as he rolled over so she was pinned underneath him, his hands held hers down against the pillow and their fingers interlaced.  
She loved feeling the weight of him against her, and inhaling his unique scent. There was just one more decision to make, and she really didn’t want to bring it up and kill the mood but it was necessary.  
“I’m on the Depo shot, and I was tested a month ago. All clear. I always used condoms with Chase.”  
He shifted and got a little more comfortable. His erection rested against her thigh and she smiled up at him. “Someone’s happy.”  
“Always,” he said with a smile before kissing her. “I was tested three months ago. All clear, haven’t been with anyone since. So I guess that solves that issue.   
Cameron reached down and he immediately sprang to life as soon as her small hand closed around him.  
“Make love to me, House. I want to feel you…”  
“I want that, too,” he whispered before his lips found her mouth. She returned the kisses as feverish as he gave them as he gently entered her. He paused for a minute and closed his eyes. It felt so right, so perfect.   
“Oh God...that feels so good,” she groaned and threw her head back.   
When House still didn’t move, she looked up at him. He seemed to be lost in thought.  
“Hey,” she said and gently touched his face. “What’s wrong?”  
“Not a thing,” he replied and smiled at her before giving one hard thrust which sent her senses into overdrive.   
“Yes…” she gasped and placed her hands on his chest, her nails lightly scratching over his nipples which seemed to have the desired effect when House let out a low growl.  
He moved harder, faster, and his hands felt like they were everywhere at once as he kissed her with a feverish urgency that matched hers.  
She didn’t want it to end. It all felt so amazing, incredible and very overwhelming. After a few years of wanting House more than anything, he was finally with her, making love to her, and it was almost too good to be true.  
“Feels so good...harder…” she begged as she wrapped her legs around him so he could get even deeper than ever.   
House gave her what she asked for, and was thankful that his leg allowed him to do it. When he was with her, his leg didn’t seem to hurt as much. She was better than Vicodin. “Cameron,” he whispered against her lips, and she opened her eyes. He looked deep into them when she came, his hands found hers and their fingers interlaced.  
“I love you, House. I have for such a long time,” she said as she gently stroked his cheek.  
He nodded. “I know. I love you, too. I’m just shitty at expressing it.”  
Cameron curled up to him and stroked his chest. His heart was still beating fast and a thin layer of sweat covered both of them. “Oh I don’t know. I think you did a damn good job just now.”  
He chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I aim to please.”  
“That you did.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it. We are currently working on a sequel, _Just Like Starting Over_.

“So what’s on the agenda today?” House inquired as they dressed. After the previous evening’s activities, and then a repeat performance in the early morning, he was starving.  
Cameron shrugged. “We’re not heading back to Princeton until after dinner so we have the whole day to do whatever. I’m easy.”  
House went to her and wrapped his arms around her. “No, you are definitely not easy.”  
She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I am when it comes to you. All you have to do is crook your finger and I’ll come running.”  
“Really?”  
“Mhm,” she nodded as her fingers slid through his hair at the back of his neck. “What started as an innocent crush turned into something I couldn’t control anymore. So I started going out with Chase, thinking it would help take my mind off you but it didn’t work.”  
His hands slid down her back and over her ass, pulling her against his body so she could feel his excitement for her.  
Cameron started giggling. “Oh my God, House. Again?”  
He grinned at her, rubbing his pelvis against hers. “Problem?”  
“No problem but I thought you were hungry…”  
“I am….”  
“Then let’s go eat,” she said as she attempted to get out of his grasp.   
He let go of her and sighed. “Okay fine, woman. We’ll go eat. But then you’re going to finish what you started.”  
Cameron laughed. “What I started? Come on, House. Let’s go eat, and then you can have me all you want. But I’m starving.”  
He followed her to the kitchen where Hilary was sitting, eating a bowl of cereal. “Good morning, you two,” she said with a smile. “Sleep well?”  
“Didn’t get much sleep if you know what I mean,” House said to her with an over exaggerated wink.   
“House…”  
He leaned over to Hilary and whispered loudly, “She’s very insatiable.”  
“Aye yay yay,” Cameron groaned and rubbed her hands over her face. It was going to be a long day, but she knew one thing for sure, it wouldn’t be boring.  
After they ate, Cameron wanted to spend some time outside so they changed into their swimsuits and went outside to sit by the pool.   
She handed him the tube of sunscreen. “Could you do my back, please?”   
He took the tube from her and leered.  
“I’d rather do you.”  
“House!” she laughed. “What’s gotten into you today? Since when do you have a one track mind?”  
“Since last night. You’ve brought out the animal in me, Doctor Cameron.”  
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his strong hands rubbing the lotion into her skin. He started with her shoulders and worked his way down her back. “Thank you.”  
Bennings came by as usual and offered them refreshments.  
“I like Jeeves,” House said once he had a nice cold beer in hand and a bowl of pretzels.  
“I know you do, but you can’t have him. He and my father are good friends.”  
After he finished his beer, he went into the pool and Cameron followed, grabbing an air mattress.   
“Gonna share that?” he asked as he swam over to her.   
“It’s not meant for two people.”  
“That’s what you think,” he said and attempted to climb on. Instead, it capsized and they both went under.  
“House!” she sputtered as she rubbed her eyes.   
He gave his head a shake so water droplets flew everywhere and laughed.  
“Cuddy was right. You’re like an eight year-old.”  
He then backed her up against the side of the pool and nudged her with his cock. “Would an eight year-old be able to do this?”  
His mouth crashed down on hers and she moaned as her arms went around his neck. “And you call me insatiable,” she giggled.  
“You are. I seem to remember this morning. _Oh yes...House...oh yes, God, more!_ ”  
She gasped when he grabbed her legs, wrapped them around his waist and pinned her to the wall of the pool. “Hold on,” he ordered and then kissed her again while his fingers shoved the fabric of her bikini bottoms aside.  
“House!” she gasped against his mouth when she felt him enter her. “Your leg….”  
“It’s fine,” he assured her between kisses as his arms wrapped around her to keep her close. And it was true. His leg didn’t bother him when he was in the water and he made a mental note to start swimming once he got back to Princeton. It was certainly better than the physio he hated doing.   
Cameron never had sex in a pool before, and it was certainly different from anything she expected. House seemed so strong as he held her against him. WHere he got the energy from, she didn’t know, but she wasn’t complaining.  
“Oh yes...House...so good…”  
It didn’t hurt either that he was an amazing kisser. She could probably come just from his kisses alone.  
“So sexy,” he growled in her ear as he kissed and nibbled her neck. “So close…”  
“Me too…” she grunted as his arms tightened around her. “Don’t stop….”  
He almost laughed. He couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to and his next few thrusts sent them both over the edge. She clung to him and gasped one more time before he felt her body go limp in his arms.  
“You’re gonna...be the death of me,” she panted as she rested her chin on his shoulder.  
“But what a way to go,” he laughed as he released her and gave her one last kiss. “I need another beer. Where’s Jeeves?”  
After spending an hour by the pool, they decided they had enough sun for one day and went back inside.   
“Wanna watch a movie and make out?” House inquired with a sexy grin.   
“How can you possibly have the energy?” Cameron laughed. “Did you take a Viagra this morning?”  
“I don’t need it when I have a sexy young thing ready to go at any given time.”  
Cameron frowned. “You can’t have a relationship based purely on sex, House.”  
He stopped walking and stared at her. “I never said anything like that. There’s nothing wrong with being physically attracted to each other.”  
“But there has to be more to it than that. We need to get to know each other….”  
“And we will.”  
“I’m not just talking about intimately.”  
“Neither am I.” Then he sighed and scratched his forehead with his thumb, a signature move that told her he was frustrated. “Look, we can talk about it later on the drive back to Princeton. In the meantime, why can’t we just relax and enjoy the rest of the day?”  
Cameron nodded. “You’re right. Let’s go watch a movie.”  
“Bitchin.”  
***  
After they said goodbye to everyone, House and Cameron climbed into the car and Bennings drove them back to Princeton.  
“So are we going to talk now?” he asked her as he stretched out his legs and closed his eyes.  
“I just want to know what we’re going to do next. Are we going to go public or are we going to play it cool for awhile?”  
“You know Cuddy is going to blow a gasket, right?”  
“Probably, although I don’t see why.”  
“Well part of it could be that I’m your supervisor.”  
“What’s the other part?”  
“That she’s jealous of you.”  
Cameron looked surprised. “Of me? Why?”  
“You’re younger, prettier, you understand me better than anyone, she can’t get close to me...the reasons are endless.”  
“Well then she’ll just have to deal with it. I’m not giving you up.”  
House grinned at her and then leaned over for a kiss, but was denied.   
“I’m not doing that here…” she protested.  
“Jeeves doesn’t mind. Hey Jeeves, you don’t mind if we make out in the backseat, do you?” he asked.  
“Not if it pleases you, sir.” Seeing the look on Cameron’s face made Bennings chuckle and he raised the window between them so they’d have more privacy.  
“Well, that solves that problem,” House said as he pulled her closer and began kissing her neck. “It’s a long drive back to Princeton. We might as well enjoy it.”  
***  
The alarm woke Cameron from a sound sleep and she started to reach for it. Beside her, House groaned.  
“Burn it,” he mumbled against her hair. His arms tightened around her as he pulled her back against him. She shut off the alarm and pushed the covers back. House pulled her back when she tried to get up,  
“No,” he grunted. “Sleep good. Work bad. Sex better.”  
“We don’t have time for sex,” she laughed as she untangled herself from his embrace.  
House rolled over and burrowed under the covers. Cameron went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once the water was warm enough, she stepped beneath the stinging spray and began to wash her hair. She finished bathing and turned off the water. As she dried off with a thick blue towel, she could hear House snoring softly. They never got around to talking about their relationship but she intended to rectify that later. She wanted more than a physical relationship with him. He said he loved her and she loved him deeply. She wanted to be with him for a very long time. Wrapping the towel around her, she entered the bedroom and opened her closet. She pulled out pale grey pants, a deep purple v-neck top and her Mary Jane wedges. Moving over to her dresser, she pulled out clean underwear and a bra. House still slept soundly so she closed the bathroom door. She hung up her towel and combed out her hair. She put on her bra and panties next. She quickly cleaned and moisturized her face, then brushed her teeth. Next she used the blow dryer to dry her hair and pulled it back in a ponytail. She opened the door and moved to one side as House limped past her. He made a beeline for the toilet and she went back into the bedroom. She chose a delicate silver necklace with a triangular jade stone pendant and matching earrings. She heard the shower come on and finished dressing. She was making the bed when House reappeared with a towel around his waist.  
“Your clothes are on the chair,” she told him as she plumped a pillow and set it in place.  
He grunted and dropped his towel on the floor. Cameron stood and admired him as he dressed. She would never tire of looking at him.  
“I have a plan,” he told her as he sat down to put on his socks and shoes.  
Cameron walked over to her dresser and picked up a brush. “And what is your plan?” she asked as she brushed his wet hair.  
“A cunning one,” he grinned up at her. He took the brush from her and tossed it on the dresser. Grabbing his cane, he stood and held out his hand. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way to work.”  
“Oh, I can’t wait for this,” she smiled as she took his hand.   
***  
They took her car and House drove. He went through the Starbuck’s drive through and ordered coffee and pastries for them. When they arrived at the hospital, he parked in his spot and they got out. House put his arm around her as they approached the entrance. He released her long enough to open the door for her. She smiled at him as she walked in. He smiled back and put his arm around her again as they made their way across the lobby to the elevators.  
House pushed the elevator button with his cane and kissed the top of her head as they waited.  
“Five, four, three, two, one,” he whispered.  
“House!” Cuddy yelled from behind them.  
The elevator doors parted and House hustled them past the people exiting the car. Once inside, he jammed the tip of his cane against the button that closed the doors.  
“Sorry!” he smirked as they doors began to close. “Gotta go save sick people.”  
The doors slid shut before she could enter.   
“You do realize she’s going to take the stairs, right?” Cameron asked.  
“I do,” he grinned.  
The doors opened and they walked down the hallway. Cameron tensed when she heard the distinctive click of Cuddy’s heels. House squeezed her shoulder.  
“Relax,” he whispered as he opened the door to his office and stood aside so she could enter. Turning, he pulled it closed as Cuddy attempted to open it.  
“House!”  
He released the door and she staggered back. She gripped the door and steadied herself before entering. House took Cameron’s bag and tossed it in the corner with his backpack. Cameron set their coffee and the bag of pastries on his desk.  
“Just where the hell have you been?” Cuddy demanded as she stomped up to them.  
“Went to visit Cameron’s family. It was her grandmother’s ninetieth birthday. We went for the party,” House responded as he sat down.  
Cuddy bumped Cameron out of the way and leaned on House’s desk. “You left your patient.”  
House’s eyes narrowed. “Apologize to her,” he said in a dangerously soft voice.  
“I already had to apologize to both of them,” she snapped. “You can’t just take off any-”  
“Not the damn patient! Apologize to Cameron!”  
“Why?”  
“You pushed her.”  
“What are you talking about?” she demanded.  
“When you approached my desk your massive ass knocked her to the side. Apologize.”  
“Listen to me, House-”  
House slammed his cane down on the top of his desk with such force both women jumped.  
“Apologize to her.”  
Cuddy flicked a glance at Cameron before looking back at House. “You cannot leave this hospital while you have a patient. If you’re trying to make me jealous by walking around kissing her and groping her, it isn’t working. I told you that ship has sailed. Now where were you?”  
“You are unbelievable,” Cameron said as she folded her arms. “We went to Alpine for my GG’s ninetieth birthday and he can grope me, as you so crudely put it, any time he wants.”  
“Shut up,” Cuddy snapped dismissively. She turned back to House. “Where have you been and don’t feed me that lie about going to her family’s house.”  
“It’s actually an estate,” Cameron informed her coldly.  
“She’s a Langston of the richie rich Langston’s,” he smiled. “Did you know she has about twenty million dollars? That's not why I love her, though. I’m an ass but I’m not that kind of ass.”  
“You don’t love her,” Cuddy scoffed. “You’re just trying to make me jealous and sidetracked.”  
House looked at her with mocking pity. “I don’t give a shit if you’re jealous. I like touching her. So I do. As for the whole sidetracked remark, well, it’s sad you refuse to believe me.”  
Cuddy folded her arms. “I can fire you both,” she informed him coldly. She turned to Cameron. “In fact, you’re fired for failing to give notice and leaving while you still had a patient under your care.”  
Cameron stalked behind House’s desk, picked up her bag and left. House watched her go and stood up. He advanced on Cuddy until he loomed over her.  
“You just made a very big mistake,” he told her. “I don’t love you. I don’t want you. And I don’t work here any more.”  
He turned, grabbed up his backpack and walked out. Cuddy followed on his heels.  
“You won’t find anyone else who will put up with your shit the way I do!” she screeched.  
He entered the elevator and she jumped through the doors as they slid shut. He pressed the button for the lobby and looked at her.  
“Actually,” he drawled, “I have and her name is Allison Langston Cameron.”  
The doors slid open and he began to make his way to the entrance.  
“I’ll ruin you both!” she shrieked.  
House pushed open the doors and walked out. He found Cameron in the car staring out the window. He unlocked the door, slid behind the wheel and handed her his cane. She turned to look at him just as Cuddy jerked open the car door. Her hand flashed out but House caught it before it connected with his cheek.  
“You don’t walk out on me!” she shouted, trying to break his hold on her wrist. “You are nothing without me!”  
“You’re pathetic,” House told her and released her. She staggered back and he closed the door, locked it and started the engine. He backed out and drove away. They pulled up to the curb outside House’s apartment when his cell phone rang. He ignored it and they went inside. House dumped his backpack on the floor and hooked his cane on the molding above the entry. Cameron left her bag next to his and walked back to his room. His phone rang again and this time he answered.  
“Yes, Wilson, I quit….No, I’m not coming back and neither is she,” he said and hung up. The phone rang again ten minutes later.  
“What now?” he grumbled.  
“Cuddy is pissed,” Wilson told him. “She’s threatening to charge you with assault. I tried to talk her out of it but she’s-”  
“Jealous,” House finished for him. “I need to talk to Cameron. Let Cuddy press charges. I don’t care any more. I’m done.” He clicked the phone off and tossed it on the couch.   
“House, what are we going to do?” Cameron asked him as she reached for his hand and stroked the back of it.  
“Well, I see one of two things happening. Cuddy begging me to come back, which I won’t do unless she lets you come back with me, or we simply go to another hospital.” Then he smiled. “And that would drive her crazy. If she wants me to come back, that’s the deal, and if she doesn’t go for it, then I’m done with her and PPTH.”  
He gave her a smile, hoping that would make her feel better. It usually did. “We’ll figure it out, Cameron.”  
She nodded. “I know. I just don’t like uncertainties.”  
“Well, that’s life.”  
She looked down at his hand. “Let’s go back to Alpine. I want to talk to GG and Daddy. We can stay there and decide what to do next.”  
He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “I’m in this for the long haul,” he told her.  
“So am I.”  
“Good. Now let’s call Jeeves and go back home,” he told her.  
“You called it home,” she smiled.  
He shrugged. “It’s the first place that feels that way to me. I don’t want to get sappy but wherever you are is like home.”  
Cameron nodded. So long as she was with him everything would be fine.


End file.
